DEPARTMENT    OF    COMMERCE 

'    BUREAU    OF    FISHERIES 


REPORT  OF 
ALASKA    INVESTIGATIONS 


IN    1914 


»,  ■> , . 


By  E.  LESTER  JONES 

DEPUTY   COMMISSIONER  OF  FISHERIES 


DECEMBER  31,  1914 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1915 


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TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Page 

Introduction 5 

.Salmon  industry 6 

S   Federal  control  of  Fisheries (i 

General  methods 6 

Trap  fishing 6 

Trap  sites 12 

Method  of  closing  traps 14 

Purse  seining 20 

Haul  or  beach  seining 22 

Gill-netting 22 

Other  fishing  methods 22 

.  Markers  at  stream  mouths 24 

--  Close  season  districts 24 

Weekly  close  season 26 

Waters  exempted  from  weekly  closing 28 

Methods  of  canning 28 

~*  Government  inspection  of  cannery  product 30 

Do-overs 32 

Mild  curing 34 

Power-boat  trolling 34 

Salmon  salteries 36 

Closing  streams  to  commercial  fishing 36 

Obstructions  in  streams 42 

Natural  enemies  of  salmon 48 

Halibut  industry 54 

Codfish  industry 58 

Herring  industry 58 

Use  of  food  fish  for  fertilizer  and  oil 62 

Whaling  industry 62 

Trout 66 

Taxation 66 . 

Collection  and  use  of  taxes 68 

License  tax  on  gear 68 

Districts  for  patrol  system 68 

Vessels 70 

New  vessels  required 70 

Pay  of  officers  and  crew 72 

Albatross 74 

Hatchery  work 74 

Private  hatcheries 74 

^  Government  hatcheries 82 

.  More  hatcheries  needed 88 

Marked  fish 88 

Disregard  of  fisheries  laws 92 

Enforcement  of  the  laws 92 

Labor  questions -  -  ■  •  98 

Resident  fishermen 98 

Alien  and  imported  labor 102 

Indians  and  Aleuts 102 

Education  of  natives 104 


Page. 

Pollution 104 

Utilization  of  cannery  waste 110 

Fur-bearing  animals 110 

Control  of  fur-bearing  animals 112 

Protective  seasons 112 

Effect  of  existing  laws  on  natives 112 

Propagation  of  fur-bearing  animals 114 

Fox  farms 114 

Island  fox  farms 116" 

Intensive  (corral)  fur-farming 118 

Illegal  fox  farming 121 

Aleutian  Islands  Reservation 122 

Need  of  a  warden 124 

Pribilof  Islands 124 

Natives 126 

Natives'  houses 126 

Native  beer  and  liquors 126 

Schools 128 

Wages,  supplies,  and  rations 128 

Occupations 130 

Official  records 130 

New  offices  and  salaries 130 

Physicians 132 

Hospital  stewards 132 

Need  for  a  temporary  dentist 132 

Officers'  quarters 132 

Janitor  service 134 

Seal  meat 134 

Foxes 136 

Reindeer 136 

Possibility  of  cattle  raising 136 

Roads  for  St.  George  Island 136 

Supply  ship 136 

Aerial  cable  for  unloading  ships 138 

Lighters  for  unloading  ships 138 

Midwinter  supply  ship 138 

Landing  regulations 138 

Conclusions 140 

Addresses  to  natives 140 

Some  needs  of  Alaska 146 

Charting  and  lighting  Alaska's  coast 146 

Are  the  fishing  interests  to  leave  the  United  States .  .  146  . 

Coal  and  supply  base 148 

Government  wharf 148 

Wireless  station  at  Unga 148 

Reindeer 153 

General  summary 153 

Recommendations 153 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


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■ 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS  IN  1914. 


By  E.  LESTER  JONES, 

Deputy  Commissioner  of  Fisheries. 


Department  of  Commerce, 

Bureau  op  Fisheries, 
Washington,  December  31,  10 14. 
Sir  :  I  submit  herewith  a  report  on  my  special  investigations  in  Alaska,  for  transmittal  to  the  Secretary 
of  Commerce  and  the  President.  ■ 

INTRODUCTION. 

By  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce,  I  was  instructed  to  proceed  to  Alaska  (1)  in  order  to  make 
a  thorough  survey  and  investigation  of  the  various  fishery  industries,  (2)  to  visit  the  fur-seal  fisheries 
on  the  Pribilof  Islands  and  make  studies  in  connection  therewith  for  the  purpose  of  formulating  a  more 
definite  and  businesslike  policy  for  the  administration  of  those  islands,  and  (3)  to  inquire  into  the  status 
of  the  minor  fur-bearing  animals,  including  both  the  matter  of  the  protection  of  the  wild  stock  and  the 
development  of  the  industry  of  rearing  such  animals  in  captivity. 

In  my  report  submitted  herewith  it  has  been  my  endeavor  to  avoid  more  than  an  occasional  and  pass- 
ing reference  to  matters  of  a  statistical  or  historical  nature,  since  these  features  are  quite  thoroughly  covered 
in  various  reports  already  published.  Attention  has  been  given  primarily  to  matters  which  have  a  material 
bearing  upon  the  maintenance  of  those  Alaskan  industries  over  which  the  Department  of  Commerce  exer- 
cises jurisdiction  and  which  seem  to  require  readjustment  in  accordance  with  changed  conditions. 

It  has  been  my  constant  endeavor  to  view  the  situation  from  a  practical  and  impartial  standpoint 
with  the  view  of  suggesting  certain  changes  deemed  essential  to  the  public  welfare,  bearing  in  mind  at 
the  same  time  the  necessity  for  giving  equitable  consideration  to  all  private  interests  which  may  be  affected 
by  such  changes. 

The  field  work  occupied  a  period  of  between  four  and  five  months,  from  the  latter  part  of  May  to 
the  first  part  of  October.  Visits  were  made  to  about  50  canneries,  salteries,  and  mild-curing  establishments 
in  southeastern,  central,  and  western  Alaska;  numerous  fox  farms  in  various  regions  were  inspected;  con- 
siderable time  was  spent  on  the  Pribilof  Islands;  and  detailed  attention  was  given  to  administrative  matters 
connected  with  the  recently  established  Aleutian  Islands  Reservation. 

The  steamer  Albatross,  Lieut.  L.  B.  Porterfield,  U.  S.  N.,  commanding,  was  placed  at  my  disposal, 
and  I  spent  practically  two  months  aboard  this  vessel  in  central  and  western  Alaska.  In  southeast  Alaska 
I  was  aboard  the  small  steamer  Osprey  for  about  60  days.  These  vessels  are  owned  by  the  Bureau  of 
Fisheries. 

Some  of  the  important  places  visited  are  quite  remote  and  inaccessible,  and  had  it  not  been  for  vessels 
specially  available  for  the  purpose  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  reach  them  during  my  trip,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  I  spent  more  than  four  months  in  Alaska.  It  is  my  wish  to  emphasize  the  point 
that  because  of  the  great  distances  involved,  and  as  at  times  there  is  no  service  by  commercial  boats,  and 
when  there  is  it  is  very  unsatisfactory,  it  becomes  urgently  necessary  in  the  event  of  conducting  any  com- 
petent investigation  of  the  fisheries  of  Alaska  that  a  good  seagoing  vessel  be  provided.  Without  the 
Albatross  this  past  season,  the  results  of  my  trip  would  have  been  anything  but  satisfactory. 

It  is  my  desire  to  make  the  fullest  possible  acknowledgment  to  Lieut.  L.  B.  Porterfield,  commanding 
the  Albatross,  for  the  numerous  courtesies  and  the  invaluable  assistance  rendered  so  freely  and  pleasantly 
during  the  two  months  I  spent  aboard  that  vessel.     The  officers  and  crew  also  rendered  efficient  assistance. 

5 


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REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


■■■'■,  V*The'pMip"tpgra.phie  records  of  fisheries  operations,  fox  ranching,  seal  life  on  the  Pribilof  Islands,  and 
other  less  important  subjects,  which  show  the  results  of  the  season's  work,  were  secured  partly  with  the 
cooperation  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Burnet,  who  accompanied  me  throughout  the  entire  trip.  The  handicap  under 
which  we  labored  in  securing  these  pictures  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  weather  during  nearly  80  per  cent 
of  the  time  spent  in  Alaska  was  rainy  and  foggy. 

SALMON  INDUSTRY. 
FEDERAL   CONTROL   OF    FISHERIES. 

Any  division  of  authority  between  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  officials  of  the  Territory  of 
Alaska  in  administering  the  Alaska  fisheries  laws  would  be  detrimental  to  the  salmon  and  other  fishery 
industries.  It  would  so  confuse  conditions  that  neither  the  officials  of  this  Department  nor  the  Territory 
would  have  adequate  authority.  What  is  needed  is  not  divided  power,  but  the  concentration  of  authority 
under  one  responsible  administrative  department. 

It  is  my  undivided  and  unbiased  belief  that  a  continuation  of  the  present  investment  of  such  authority 
in  the  Department  of  Commerce  will  be  fruitful  of  much  more  real  good  to  the  fisheries  of  Alaska  than 
any  division  of  authority. 

The  contention  of  some  in  Alaska  that  the  Territory  can  better  administer  its  own  fishery  affairs 
is  susceptible  of  adverse  criticism  because  of  the  strife  and  friction  between  the  diverse  local  interests 
that  would  almost  inevitably  follow  such  efforts  to  handle  the  situation.  This  has  been  the  result  in  some 
States,  and  it  is  therefore  my  honest  belief  that  full  Federal  control  of  the  fisheries  of  Alaska,  as  impartially 
and  honestly  administered  by  the  Department  of  Commerce  through  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  will  result 
most  beneficially  to  all  interests  concerned.  And,  furthermore,  owing  to  the  vast  amount  of  practical 
and  scientific  knowledge  and  information  acquired  and  developed  during  an  extended  period  by  men  of 
unusual  training  and  experience  in  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  any  idea  or  thought  of  transferring  jurisdiction 
over  this  highly  important  industry  to  another  institution  or  board  of  the  National  Government  should  be 
dismissed  at  once,  as  such  action  would  be  a  serious  mistake  and  would  prove  a  handicap  to  the  greatest 
development  of  Alaska's  rich  fishery  resources. 

GENERAL  METHODS. 

There  is  probably  no  part  of  this  great  industry  that  has  created  more  controversy  than  the  methods 
employed  in  catching  the  60,000,000  salmon  which  are  taken  each  year  from  the  waters  of  Alaska.  It 
is  an  easy  matter  for  those  who  favor  certain  forms  of  fishing  apparatus  to  blame  those  using  other  forms 
for  the  alleged  diminution  in  the  supply  of  salmon,  but  it  is  not  easy  for  a  disinterested  person  to  ascertain 
the  relative  effect  and  place  the  responsibility  for  any  injury  that  may  result  from  any  abuses  of  these 
methods. 

The  four  principal  methods  are  trap  fishing,  purse  seining,  haul  or  beach  seining,  and  gill  netting. 
Trolling  for  king  salmon  is  placed  under  another  head,  as  it  is  so  distinctly  a  separate  business  and  so 
closely  affiliated  with  mild  curing  that  an  independent  discussion  will  prove  more  helpful  than  to  take  it 
up  with  the  principal  methods  used  in  catching  Alaska's  enormous  production  of  sockeye,  humpback, 
silver,  and  chum  salmon.  I  have  studied  these  four  methods  of  fishing  from  an  entirely  unprejudiced 
standpoint,  and  I  have  noted  the  various  conditions  and  have  viewed  them  from  every  angle.  In  some 
parts  of  Alaska  certain  conditions  obtain,  in  others  they  are  entirely  different.  Therefore,  I  will  endeavor 
in  this  part  of  my  report,  as  well  as  under  other  heads,  to  cover  all  phases  of  the  question,  looked  at 
from  all  sides. 

One  of  the^things  that  impressed  me  most  forcibly  was  the  fact  that  everyone  that  used  any  particular 
kind  of  fishing  gear  did  so  because  it  suited  his  conditions  best  and  because  it  was  the  best  business  method  and 
produced  the  best  results.  This  feature  alone  is  what  every  business  man  tries  to  bring  out  most  clearly 
in  conducting  any  enterprise. 

TRAP    FISHING. 

In  Alaska  to-day  there  are  some  275  traps.  Of  these,  approximately  65  per  cent  are  in  southeastern 
Alaska.  The  condition  of  the  water,  the  effect  of  the  tides,  and  the  swiftness  of  the  current,  the  character 
of  the  bottom,  and  depth  of  water  are  all  contributing  reasons  why  the  traps  are  used  in  various  places. 


RKPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


CANNERY  AT  SANTA  ANA. 


CANNERY  AT  CHIGNIK. 


8  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

Fewer  men  are  required  to  operate  a  trap  than  are  needed  to  operate  a  haul  or  a  purse  seine.  Therefore, 
other  things  being  equal,  this  is  a  good  reason  why  the  use  of  traps  is  proper  for  the  sake  of  economy  in 
labor.  Any  successful  business  concern  in  the  world  to-day  believes  in  the  most  up-to-date  methods. 
For  example,  if  a  man  hired  50  clerks  at  a  salary  of  $1,000  a  year  each  and  was  offered  a  machine  costing 
$25,000  which  would  enable  him  to  dispense  with  40  of  these  clerks  at  a  saving  of  $15,000  a  year,  not  to 
mention  the  time  saved,  I  venture  to  say  there  is  not  a  business  concern  but  that  would  install  the  machine 
without  delay.  This  is  the  exact  situation  in  regard  to  the  fish  trap.  It  saves  labor  and  time,  and  I  quite 
agree  that  the  success  of  an  industry  means  the  turning  out  of  a  good  article  with  the  least  possible  expense 
and  in  the  shortest  possible  time. 

IThe  principal  advantages  of  the  trap  are  these :  First,  the  fish  remain  alive  in  the  pot  or  spiller,  thus 
permitting  their  delivery  at  the  cannery  in  better  shape  than  when  taken  by  any  other  method  of  capture 
in  vogue  to-day,  and  second,  the  trap  is  stationary  andthe  Government  official,  or  inspector,  always  knows 
where  to  locate  it,  thus  permitting  of  regulation  and  control,  quite  difficult  or  almost  impossible  with 
purse  seines  and  other  mobile  forms  of  apparatus. 


Plan  of  typical  Alaska  fish  trap. 

Now  as  to  the  objections:  First  and  foremost  is  the  fact  that  traps  catch  not  only  salmon,  but  other 
kinds  of  fish,  which  under  present  conditions  are  not  utilized.  Second,  during  the  weekly  close  period 
the  owners  of  traps  say  bad  weather  is  the  cause  for  not  complying  with  the  law  and  closing  every  Saturday 
night  on  the  hour;  but  while  this  may  occasionally  happen  the  closing  is  more  often  neglected  intentionally. 
A  popular  objection  to  the  trap  is  the  fact  that  it  fishes  day  and  night,  and  thus  takes  too  many  fish,  but 
this  objection  is  without  merit,  for  the  function  of  a  trap  is  toicatch  fish,  and,  as  mentioned  before,  all  fish 
remain  alive  until  ready  to  be  removed  from  the  pot  or  spiller.  / 

I  would  suggest  a  curtailment  in  the  activities  of  traps",  on  account  of  the  ever  increasing  fishing  and 
the  diminution  in  some  sections  of  the  supply  of  salmon.  It  is  evident  that  the  leads,  which  at  the  present 
time  may  be  of  any  length,  should  be  limited.  In  waters  tributary  to  Bering  Sea  I  would  recommend 
that  leads  not  exceeding  3,000  feet  be  permitted  and  that  in  the  rest  of  Alaska  the  maximum  length  should 
be  2,500  feet.  In  some  cases  the  large  number  of  traps  placed  close  to  the  mouths  of  streams  makes  it 
almost  impossible  for  an  adequate  supply  of  breeding  salmon  to  escape  them  and  ascend  to  the  spawning 
grounds.  And  especially  is  it  important  to  keep  free  the  entrances  to  those  waters  on  which  hatcheries 
are  being  operated.  It  appears  necessary  that  no  trap  shall  be  erected  closer  than  one-half  mile  to  the 
mouth  of  any  stream  and  that  those  already  erected  within  this  distance  shall  be  removed.  The  pro- 
hibition of  traps  and  other  fishing  gear  within  waters  less  than  one-half  mile  from  the  mouth  of  any  stream 
is  to  my  mind  the  most  important  feature  in  reference  to  the  preservation  of  the  future  supply  of  salmon 
in  Alaska.  As  the  law  reads  to-day,  traps  must  be  at  least  600  yards  apart  laterally  and  100  yards  apart 
endwise.     These  distances  are  inadequate,  which  is  easily  proved  by  the  congestion  of  fishing  paraphernalia 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


IMPROPER      METHOD     OF     OPENING      HEART     WALLS     OF     TRAP, 
SHOWING    CONDITION    AT   EXTREME   LOW  TIDE. 


IMPROPER     METHOD     OF     OPENING      HEART     WALLS     OF     TRAP. 
MEDIUM    STAGE   OF  TIDE. 


ABANDONED   TRAP   OVER   3,000   FEET   LONG. 


IO 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS." 


FLOATING    TRAP. 


INDIAN    FISHERMEN    UNLOADING   SOCKEYE   SALMON, 
SEETUCK   RIVER. 


BRAILING    A    TRAP. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


1 1 


INDIANS    HAULING    BEACH    SEINE,    SEETUCK    RIVER.      THE    CHIEF    OF    THE    TRIBE    IS    AT    LEFT    OF 

PICTURE. 


CANNERY   AT   SITKOH    BAY. 


BEACH    SEINING,   SEETUCK    RIVER.      LOADING   THE   CATCH   OF  SOCKEYE  SALMON. 


12 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


that  exists  in  southeastern  Alaska.     A  distance  interval  of  at  least  4,000  feet  laterally  and  1 ,000  feet  endwise 
seems  fair  and  necessary. 

The  jigger,  concerning  which  there  has  been  much  comment  and  criticism,  should  not  be  prohibited, 
as  it  is  an  effective  and  proper  part  of  the  trap,  the  same  as  the  heart  or  the  lead,  or  any  other  part.  I 
think,  however,  that  its  length  should  be  limited  to  50  yards 

TRAP   SITES. 

There  has  been  much  controversy  regarding  trap  locations  and  the  plan  that  they  should  be  sold 
outright  to  their  present  holders  and  other  sites  sold  to  those  who  make  application.  The  proposal  to  sell 
sites  does  not  meet  with  the  approval  of  all  concerned.     I  do  not  think  it  wise  myself,  but  I  do  believe 


Sfsrc?/  or 

Bl/fdlS  Of  rtsz/ff/ES 

/f/4- 


Sketch  of  Alaska  fish  trap. 

that  where  the  traps  on  the  present  sites  meet  the  requirements  of  the  law  and  as  long  as  they  continue 
to  do  so  it  is  proper  and  right  for  the  United  States  Government  to  protect  their  holders. 

On  every  trap  that  is  being  constructed  the  name  of  the  owner  should  be  attached  in  a  conspicuous 
place  in  the  regulation  letters  required  by  law,  and  not  placed  on  it  only  when  the  trap  is  in  operation. 

One  very  important  matter  that  has  forcibly  impressed  me  and  others  is  the  desirability  of  requiring 
that  all  old  piling  be  removed  from  an  abandoned  trap  site.  This  should  of  course  be  done  by  the  concern 
which  occupies  the  site.  There  are  many  fishing  boats  and  passenger  boats  traveling  back  and  forth 
over  these  waters  each  year,  and  the  old  trap  piles  are  a  menace  and  should  be  removed  without  delay 
when  they  are  given  up  for  fishing  purposes.  There  is  in  southeastern  Alaska  an  abandoned  trap  which 
had  a  lead  of  over  three-fourths  of  a  mile  and  contained  about  200  piles.  It  is  not  only  a  menace  and 
danger  to  navigation,  but  a  nuisance  and  trouble  to  the  fishermen  and  their  boats. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


13 




> 

....     '   j   "' 

TOWING   CANNERY  SHIP  TO   SEA,   WESTERN   ALASKA. 


CANNERY  AT  YAKUTAT. 


H 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


METHOD   OF   CLOSING   TRAPS. 

There  has  been  no  little  agitation  and  controversy,  especially  during  the  past  fishing  season,  regarding 
the  manner  of  closing  traps.  The  law,  as  it  now  stands,  specifies  clearly  that  throughout  the  weekly 
closed  period  of  36  hours  the  gate,  mouth,  or  tunnel  of  all  stationary  or  floating  traps  shall  be  closed  and 
25  feet  of  the  webbing  or  net  of  the  heart  of  such  traps  on  each  side  next  to  the  pot  shall  be  lifted  or  lowered 
in  such  manner  as  to  permit  the  free  passage  of  salmon  and  other  fishesj 

It  seems  quite  clear  that  an  opening  of  the  full  width  of  25  feet,"both  at  the  top  and  bottom,  was 
intended  by  this  act  of  Congress.     For  several  seasons  past,  however,  it  has  been  the  custom  to  use  shove- 


Part  of  Icy  Strait  region,  showing  37  fish  traps  operated  in  1914. 

downs  fastened  at  the  lower  end  of  the  pot.  These  shove-downs  have  been  laid  back  at  an  angle,  thus 
causing  the  opening  for  the  passage  of  fish  to  be  much  narrower  at  the  bottom  than  the  25  feet  prescribed 
by  law;  in  fact,  quite  often  the  shove-downs  have  been  so  short  that  at  low  tide  no  opening  whatever 
existed.  This  is  obviously  wrong,  and  notwithstanding  previous  custom  in  the  enforcement  of  the  law 
it  is  my  belief  that  corrective  measures  are  necessary  to  prevent  further  continuation  of  this  unsatisfactory 
method  of  closing  traps.  If,  as  some  cannery  men  contend,  it  is  impracticable  to  open  the  heart  walls  on 
each  side  of  the  pot  for  the  full  width  of  25  feet  from  top  to  bottom,  the  law  should  be  revised.  My  belief 
is  that  it  is  entirely  feasible  to  provide  such  an  opening  without  working  undue  hardship  upon  the  fishing 
interests.  I  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  drop  the  web  entirely  to  the  bottom,  but  feel  that  if  it  is  lowered 
to  approximately  4  feet  below  the  lowest  minus  tide  all  purposes  will  be  served. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


15 


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"L  Exfre/rte  /ovrZ/cfe  ^ 


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Improper  and  proper  methods  of  arranging  heart  walls  of  fish  traps  in  Alaska. 


i6 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


SCARS   ON   SALMON    RESULTING    FROM    IMPROPER   USE  OF  FISH    PEWS. 


POWER   BOAT   FISHING   FLEET   AT   WRANGELL. 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


CHILKOOT    INDIAN    HOOKING    OR   GAFFING    SOCKEYE   SALMON    ON    CHILKOOT    RIVE 


CHILKOOT    INDIANS   IN    DUGOUT   CANOE   ENGAGED    IN   GAFFING   OR    HOOKING   SALMON. 


74025—15 2 


i8 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


The  complaint  of  some  cannery  men  that  hardship  will  be  inflicted  by  the  requirement  that  25  feet 
of  the  heart  walls  shall  be  opened  to  the  passage  of  fish  at  low  tide  as  well  as  high  tide  does  not  seem  well 
founded,  as  a  competent  and  experienced  trap  man  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  it  is  quite  possible 
to  so  construct  traps  that  it  will  not  be  a  particularly  great  hardship  to  effect  closing  in  this  manner.  He 
said  that  of  course  at  times  when  the  tide  is  strong  or  if  there  is  a  considerable  sea  running  there  may  be 
some  trouble  in  opening  up  the  full  width  of  25  feet.  He  further  stated  that  if  the  25-foot  feature  of  the 
law  is  enforced  literally  the  practice  of  constructing  heart  walls  of  wire  netting  must  necessarily  be 
modified  in  that  the  25-foot  section  will  have  to  be  constructed  of  trap  web  rather  than  of  wire.  He  stated 
that  haul-downs  can  be  attached  on  the  pile  next  to  the  pot  and  the  pile  25  feet  away  from  the  pot,  whereby 
the  web  can  be  drawn  down  by  means  of  a  hand  windlass  of  the  type  common  in  raising  and  lowering 
the  pots.  The  web  section  thus  lifted  or  lowered  can  be  attached  at  each  side  by  means  of  rings  sliding  on 
a  piece  of  cable  stretched  taut,  or  on  iron  pipe. 

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Cholmondeley  Sound,  showing  80  purse  seines  in  operation  season  of  1914. 

Under  the  circumstances  as  recited  just  above,  and  taking  into  account  the  need  of  imposing  additional 
restrictions  upon  trap  fishing  as  conducted  at  present,  I  am  disposed  to  recommend  that  hereafter  no 
exception  be  made  in  the  requirement  that  the  heart  walls  of  all  traps  operated  in  Alaska  shall  be  opened 
for  the  full  width  of  25  feet  on  each  side  next  to  the  pot,  so  as  to  permit  the  free  passage  of  salmon  and 
other  fishes,  both  at  low  stages  and  high  stages  of  the  tide. 

There  has  been  a  tendency  in  southeast  Alaska  to  use  aprons  across  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  for  closing 
purposes.  This  is  a  good  method  if  it  is  honestly  applied,  but  in  my  judgment  it  is  susceptible  of  fraud, 
for  it  is  quite  impossible  for  a  Government  inspector  to  determine,  except  at  great  expenditure  of  time, 
whether  the  apron  extends  to  the  bottom  of  the  trap.  This  is  an  important  point,  since  the  water  is  often 
50, 60,  or  even  70  or  80  feet  or  more  in  depth  at  the  entrance  to  the  pot,  though  the  pot  usually  does  not 
extend  to  the  bottom.  It  is  my  belief  that  the  law  should  be  made  to  specify  that  the  mouth  of  each 
tunnel  shall  be  closed  both  by  means  of  an  apron  and  by  drawing  the  tunnel  throughout  its  entire  length 
to  one  side  of  the  pot.     This  double  precaution  will  assure  a  suitable  closing. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


19 


SOME  OF  THE   KODIAK   ALEUTS   WHO   CONSTITUTE  THE   ENTIRE   WORKING    FORCE   AT  ONE   CANNERY. 


CANNERY  ON    KODIAK   ISLAND,   SHOWING   NETS   DRYING. 


20 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


PURSE   SEINING. 

Purse  seines  are  more  numerous  in  Alaska  than  traps,  and  their  aggregate  catch  of  salmon  exceeds 
that  of  traps.  Purse  seines  are  used  chiefly  in  southeast  Alaska,  and  there  are  two  neighboring  districts 
where  this  method  of  fishing  is  particularly  prevalent,  namely,  Karta  Bay  and  Cholmondeley  Sound,  off  the 
eastern  shore  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island.  By  way  of  example  of  the  heavy  and  congested  nature  of  purse- 
seine  operations,  it  may  be  said  that  this  past  fall  in  the  very  limited  area  of  these  two  waters  there  were 
about  150  purse  seines  fishing  at  one  time.  The  fishermen  use  purse  seines  in  certain  sections  of  Alaska 
because  no  other  kind  of  gear  seems  to  answer  the  purpose  so  well.  As  already  indicated,  this  principle 
also  applies  to  trap  fishing. 

BEAD  OF  KASAAN  BAY  W       J  W 

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Head  of  Kasaan  Bay,  showing  40  purse  seines  in  operation  season  of  1914. 

However,  purse  seining  can  not  be  recommended  as  a  desirable  method  of  fishing,  particularly  for  the 
reason  that  it  does  not  rank  with  the  trap  as  a  manner  in  which  fresh  and  wholesome  fish  are  delivered  at 
the  canneries.  From  much  personal  observation,  there  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  but  that  a  fair  portion  of 
the  fish  brought  to  the  canneries  unfit  for  use  have  been  in  this  condition  on  account  of  the  rough  treatment 
they  received  at  the  hands  of  the  purse-seine  fishermen.  Another  thing  is  that  a  purse  seine  can  be  moved 
wherever  the  fisherman  may  wish  to  take  it,  thus  following  the  fish  into  the  very  stream  mouths,  a  most 
objectionable  oractice. 

As  in  the  case  of  traps,  the  operation  of  purse  seines  should  be  curtailed  to  some  extent.  Unfortu- 
nately, there  are  men  engaged  in  the  fishing  industry  who  care  little  for  the  law,  and  in  order  to  put  a  check 
on  them  it  is  necessary  to  have  such  legislation  as  will  insure  its  observance.  It  is  a  common  occurrence 
in  southeastern  Alaska,  when  slamon  are  scarce  and  they  have  worked  their  way  up  to  the  spawing  grounds, 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


21 


■■■nv-     .!■!..»    i.    .,        .  -in 


TRANSFERRING    SALMON    TO   CANNERY    FROM    DOCK   WHERE   THEY    HAVE   BEEN    DRESSED   AND   CLEANED. 


TABLES   FOR   WASHING   SALMON    IN   CANNERY. 


22  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

for  canneries  to  furnish  the  fishermen  with  short  seines  with  which  to  go  up  stream  and  take  fish  from  the 
spawning  grounds.  With  ordinary  facilities  it  is  impossible  for  officers  of  the  Government  to  detect  and 
stop  all  such  illegal  practices  in  the  taking  of  fish.  Therefore,  I  would  suggest  that  to  remedy  this  situation 
it  would  be  well  to  abolish  the  use  of  seines  under  a  minimum  length  of  ioo  fathoms;  and,  further,  to  make 
the  law  stronger,  it  would  be  well  to  make  even  the  possession  of  any  such  seine  in  Alaska  under  ioo  fathoms 
a  violation  as  much  as  to  be  actually  caught  using  it.  Also,  as  with  regard  to  traps,  no  purse  seine  should 
be  operated  closer  than  half  a  mile  to  the  mouth  of  a  stream.  This  is  a  most  important  point  in  the  future 
protection  of  the  salmon. 

HAUL   OR   BEACH   SEINING. 

With  the  haul  seines  the  same  conditions  exist  to-day  as  with  the  purse  seines,  and  the  same  remedies 
are  suggested.  In  addition,  with  reference  to  purse  and  haul  seining,  I  was  impressed  with  the  fact  that 
fishermen  in  some  instances  do  not  take  the  short  seines  up  stream,  possibly  not  having  any  at  hand,  but 
they  go  up  the  stream  to  where  the  fish  are  ascending  or  spawning  and  drive  them  back  into  the  deeper 
water,  where  other  fishermen  are  waiting  with  their  seines  to  catch  them.  This  is  in  direct  violation  of 
the  spirit  of  the  law,  and  there  should  be  a  heavy  penalty  in  all  such  cases,  even  though  the  men  are  not 
actually  found  taking  the  fish  in  seines,  or  by  other  means.  Every  effort  should  be  put  forth  to  prevent  the 
capture  of  salmon  after  they  have  succeeded  in  reaching  waters  in  which  to  spawn. 

GILL   NETTING. 

The  gill  nets  really  have  a  small  part  in  the  salmon  industry  so  far  as  southeastern  Alaska  is  concerned, 
only  about  2  per  cent  of  the  total  catch  of  salmon  being  taken  in  this  manner.  However,  in  Bristol  Bay, 
in  western  Alaska,  they  are  used  very  extensively.  In  southeast  Alaska  gill  nets  are  used  chiefly  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Stikine  River  and  in  Taku  Bay.  Under  the  present  law,  gill  nets  are  required  to  be  100 
yards  apart,  but  on  account  of  the  tides  which  cause  these  nets  to  move  about,  compliance  with  this  law 
is  made  quite  difficult.  However,  I  feel  certain  that  the  fishermen  have  not  done  their  part  in  the  past, 
and  that  they  could  do  more  toward  complying  with  the  letter  of  the  law  by  exercising  more  care  and 
vigilance.  It  would  seem  wise  to  change  the  present  law  so  that  the  distance  interval  between  gill  nets 
will  be  200  yards  instead  of  100  yards. 

As  with  the  purse  and  haul  seines,  gilled  fish  do  not  reach  their  destination  at  the  canneries  in  as 
good  condition  as  those  furnished  by  the  traps  other  than  perhaps  in  Bristol  Bay,  where  the  fishing  grounds 
are  close  to  the  canneries  and  nets  are  not  in  the  water  for  long  periods.  When  a  salmon  is  gilled,  it  is 
likely  to  die  soon,  and  thereafter  often  remains  in  the  water  a  number  of  hours,  which  causes  a  certain 
deterioration.  Gilled  fish  are  easy  to  distinguish  by  the  mark  resulting  from  the  net  at  their  gills.  A 
fair  number  of  salmon  taken  in  gill  nets  are  not  caught  by  the  gills,  but  farther  back  on  the  body,  and 
they  remain  alive  in  the  water  for  hours. 

All  fishing  paraphernalia,  such  as  traps,  haul  seines,  purse  seines,  and  gill  nets,  should  be  registered 
before  being  put  to  use.     A  license  system  will  make  this  obligatory. 

OTHER   FISHING    METHODS. 

Another  method  of  fishing  is  that  practiced  by  the  Chilkat  and  Chilkoot  Indians,  of  spearing,  gaffing, 
or  hooking  salmon.  It  seems  unfair  to  totally  deprive  these  Indians  of  this  ancient  method  of  fishing, 
for  they  have  certain  prior  rights  that  I  believe  should  be  recognized,  but  I  think  that  the  practice  should 
be  confined  to  these  two  tribes  and  to  the  Chilkat  and  Chilkoot  Rivers ;  furthermore,  that  they  should  be 
permitted  to  continue  it  only  with  the  understanding  that  the  fish  are  to  be  used  wholly  for  domestic 
purposes  and  are  not  to  be  sold. 

Still  another  rather  unique  method  of  fishing  is  practiced  in  the  Copper  River  above  the  delta.  When 
the  salmon  are  running  up  the  stream  in  localities  where  the  water  is  very  swift,  they  seek  the  shores,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  current,  and  are  easily  picked  up  by  hand  dip  nets.  I  experienced  the  sensation  of 
catching  them  myself,  and  it  is  very  easy  to  land  many  of  them  in  the  course  of  an  hour.  It  strikes  me  that 
when  these  fish  have  run  by  the  many  gill  nets  in  the  Copper  River  delta,  they  should  be  permitted  to 
continue  uninterruptedly  their  journey  up  to  the  spawning  grounds.     However,  as  there  are  various  little 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


23 


FEEDING  SALMON  INTO  IRON  CHINK  WHICH  AUTOMATICALLY  REMOVES  HEADS,  FINS,  AND  VISCERA. 


CUTTING  MACHINE  IN  SALMON  CANNERY,  SHOWING  FISH  IN  ELEVATOR  LEADING  UP  TO  REVOLVING  KNIVES. 


24  REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

settlements  along  the  shore  of  the  many  miles  of  this  river,  it  might  create  undue  hardship  to  totally 
prohibit  this  method  of  fishing,  and  it  would  therefore  seem  proper  to  permit  their  capture  for  domestic 
purposes,  but  no  exportation  should  be  allowed  in  any  form,  irrespective  of  whether  fresh,  smoked,  mild- 
cured,  canned,  or  otherwise  prepared.  And,  furthermore,  there  should  be  no  method  of  fishing  allowed 
in  this  stream  other  than  by  hook  and  line  or  by  hand  dip  nets. 

MARKERS   AT   STREAM   MOUTHS. 

For  years  there  has  been  controversy  in  Alaska  as  to  what  constitutes  the  mouth  of  a  river.  On 
account  of  varying  conditions,  it  is  rather  difficult  to  apply  any  general  rule  as  to  where  the  mouth  of  a 
stream  begins.  A  recent  court  decision  specifying  that  stream  mouths  in  Alaska  must  be  fixed  at  low- 
water  mark  seems  to  afford  a  good  basis  upon  which  to  work.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  some  definite 
action  must  be  taken  in  the  near  future  in  the  way  of  monuments  or  markers  to  define  and  locate  exactly 
the  mouth  of  each  stream.  This  is  necessary  in  order  that  fishing  may  be  regulated  properly.  In  some 
instances  these  monuments  at  low  tide  might  be  a  considerable  distance  from  the  main  channel  of  the  stream. 
But  during  flood  stages  of  the  tide  there  ar  in  such  cases  extended  areas  of  shallow, water,  and  it  is  perhaps 
only  natural  for  a  fisherman  to  operate  therein  when  no  definite  evidence  exists  as  to  what  is  considered 
to  be  the  mouth  of  the  stream.  The  solution  is  to  place  monuments  or  markers  at  low  water  and  thus 
insure  the  protection  of  salmon  as  they  loiter  about  the  stream  mouths  before  ascending  to  spawn.  This 
should  be  done  jointly  by  officers  of  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  and  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey.  There 
should  be  heavy  penalties  for  the  removal  of  defacement  of  such  monuments  or  markers. 

CLOSE   SEASON   DISTRICTS. 

That  there  should  be  a  definite  closing  date  for  salmon  fishing  in  Alaska  seems  necessary,  as  the  end 
of  the  season  is  a  trouble  maker  to  the  cannery  men  and  a  drain  on  the  supply  from  which  the  canning 
interests  would  no  doubt  be  glad  to  have  relief.  The  tendency  this  year,  particularly  in  southeast  Alaska, 
was  to  continue  operations  until  the  very  last  and  take  every  fish  that  could  possibly  be  caught  in  order  to 
fill  a  few  remaining  cans.  It  is  well  known  that  toward  the  end  of  the  season  the  deterioration  of  the 
Pacific  salmons  incident  to  the  spawning  function  makes  them  quite  inferior  for  canning  purposes. 

After  much  consideration  of  this  matter,  taking  into  account  the  opinions  of  fishermen,  cannery 
men,  and  other  men  of  experience,  it  seems  proper  to  stop  all  salmon  fishing  in  Alaska  as  follows: 

August  20:  Juneau  district,  embracing  all  the  waters  north  of  570  north  latitude,  or  north  of  a  line 
approximately  through  the  town  of  Kake,  at  the  north  end  of  Kupreanof  Island,  and  south  of  Sitka,  on 
Baranof  Island,  and  east  of  Cape  Spencer. 

September  1:  Wrangell  district,  embracing  all  the  waters  in  southeastern  Alaska  between  560  north 
latitude  and  57 °  north  latitude,  or  with  a  southern  boundary  line  approximately  from  Yes  Bay  hatchery 
westward  to  Cape  Decision. 

September  10:  Ketchikan  district,  embracing  all  the  waters  in  southeastern  Alaska  from  560  north 
latitude  south  to  the  international  boundary  line  at  54'  40"  north  latitude. 

August  10:  Stop  all  salmon  fishing  in  Alaska  west  of  Cape  Spencer,  except  Kodiak  Island,  where 
the  closing  date  should  be  August  25. 

It  was  clearly  shown  to  me  a  number  of  times  during  the  past  summer  that  the  canneries  have  oper- 
ated too  late  in  the  season.  In  a  certain  section  in  central  Alaska,  where  three  canneries  operated  in  the 
same  vicinity  and  where  there  was  a  scarcity  of  fish,  the  canneries  cooperated  by  alternating  in  canning 
the  day's  catch.  Even  then  they  had  hardly  enough  to  keep  moderately  busy,  and  the  result  was  that 
in  an  effort  to  make  a  full  pack  many  of  the  salmon  they  used  were  spent.  Although  these  fish  were 
fresh  from  the  traps  and  had  been  out  of  the  water  only  a  few  hours,  they  were  quite  inferior  for  food 
purposes  on  account  of  having  spawned.  According  to  admissions  of  the  superintendents,  this  was  a 
losing  proposition  and  the  canneries  would  really  have  been  better  off  to  have  discontinued  operations. 
This  condition  may  be  corrected  by  fixing  a  definite  date  when  all  canning  must  cease  each  season. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

WEEKLY   CLOSE  SEASON. 


25 


An  important  matter  in  providing  a  good  escapement  of  salmon  to  the  spawning  grounds  is  in  con- 
nection with  the  lengthening  of  the  weekly  close  season.  It  goes  without  saying  that  something  must  be 
done  to  safeguard  the  future  of  the  salmon  industry,  and  it  is  to  the  interests  of  the  cannery  men  and  the 


Three  proposed  fishing  districts  for  southeast  Alaska. 


fishermen  that  these  fish  should  be  afforded  further  protection.  Undoubtedly  an  extension  of  the  present 
weekly  close  season  will  help  materially  in  bringing  about  this  result.  iThe  present  close  season  requires 
that  commercial  fishing  shall  cease  at  6  o'clock  Saturday  night,  and  not  begin  again  until  the  following 
Monday  morning  at  6  o'clock,  making  a  close  season  of  36  hours!    I  would  recommend  the  extension  of 


26 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


MACHINE   WHICH    AUTOMATICALLY   FILLS   SALMON   CANS. 


AUTOMATIC    MACHINE   FOR   PUTTING   TOPS   ON   CANS   FILLED   WITH    SALMON. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


27 


STEAM    BOXES    IN   WHICH   THE  AIR   IS   EXHAUSTED    FROM   CANS   BEFORE  SEALING. 


LACQUERING   CANS  OF  SALMON   TO   PREVENT   RUST. 


28  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

this  from  Saturday  noon  to  the  following  Monday  noon.  This  will  make  the  weekly  closing  period  12 
hours  longer  and  will  not  only  offer  a  better  time  of  day  to  the  fishermen  in  which  to  close  and  open  their 
traps,  but  it  will  better  enable  the  Government  officials  to  see  that  the  law  is  being  observed.  The  opera- 
tion of  all  seines,  gill  nets,  and  other  fishing  appliances  should  also  be  included  in  this  extended  closing 
period,  as  well  as  trolling  for  commercial  purposes. 

WATERS   EXEMPTED   FROM   WEEKLY   CLOSING. 

When  the  present  law  was  enacted  in  1906,  the  waters  of  Bering  Sea,  Cook  Inlet,  and  the  delta  of 
Copper  River  were  exempted  from  the  operation  of  the  weekly  closing  period.  The  matter  had  due  con- 
sideration at  that  time,  and  I  see  no  reason  now  why  any  change  should  be  made.  The  exemption  was 
made  in  respect  to  Bering  Sea  waters  for  the  reason,  first,  that  the  fishing  season  is  very  short,  usually 
lasting  only  three  or  four  weeks  during  the  month  of  July;  and,  second,  that  the  waters  of  the  region  are 
subject  to  sudden  and  violent  storms,  which  make  fishing  impossible  for  more  or  less  lengthy  periods. 
It  is  my  opinion  that  a  Sunday  closing  period  for  Bering  Sea  is  unnecessary.  The  pack  of  salmon  at  the 
Bering  Sea  canneries  during  the  season  of  1 9 1 4  was  the  heaviest  in  the  history  of  operations  in  that  region . 
This  would  seem  to  show  that  in  the  past  these  waters  have  suffered  no  serious  depletion  of  salmon. 

When  the  present  law  was  framed,  the  plea  for  the  exemption  of  Cook  Inlet  waters  from  the  operation 
of  the  Sunday  closing  period  was  made  upon  the  grounds  that  a  weekly  close  period  was  unnecessary,  for 
the  reason  that  weather  conditions  are  so  bad  that  fishing  must  cease  for  as  long  or  longer  periods  than 
was  considered  essential  to  insure  an  adequate  escape  of  breeding  salmon.  I  believe  that  in  view  of  the 
limitations  placed  upon  fishing  in  all  waters  tributary  to  Cook  Inlet  as  established  by  the  closing  order  of 
the  Secretary  of  Commerce  of  November  18,  191 2,  no  additional  restrictions  are  necessary  in  the  region  so 
far  as  Sunday  closing  is  concerned. 

In  reference  to  the  delta  of  Copper  River,  it  has  been  averred  that  the  numerous  channels  and  sloughs 
comprising  the  delta  afford  so  many  avenues  of  escape  for  salmon  and  at  the  same  time  make  fishing  operations 
so  extremely  difficult  that  a  Sunday  closing  period  would  inflict  an  unnecessary  hardship  upon  the  fisher- 
men and  is  not  necessary  in  order  to  have  a  good  escapement  of  breeding  salmon.  From  my  knowledge  of 
conditions  at  the  delta  of  Copper  River,  these  contentions  seem  reasonable. 

Exceptions  ought  to  be  made  in  the  fisheries  laws  of  Alaska  in  favor  of  angling  for  sport  or  for  food  for 
use  by  the  one  fishing  or  his  immediate  family. 

Another  method  of  guarding  against  overfishing  is  to  restrict  the  amount  of  apparatus  that  may  be  put 
into  operation.  This  can  be  accomplished  by  a  license  system  and  by  the  power  vested  in  the  Secretary 
of  Commerce  to  discontinue  the  issuance  of  permits  for  various  kinds  of  fishing  paraphernalia  if  it  is  shown 
to  him  that  the  fishing  is  being  overdone  in  any  particluar  section. 

METHODS    OP   CANNING. 

The  various  methods  employed  in  canning  salmon  are  naturally  of  interest  and  importance  to  the 
people  who  use  this  popular  food,  and  a  high  standard  of  sanitation  and  cleanliness  in  connection  with  its 
preparation  is  demanded  at  all  times.  This  is  now  generally  the  case,  as  practically  all  steps  in  the  process 
of  canning  are  performed  by  highly  perfected  machines.  Upon  arrival  at  the  cannery,  the  fish  are  passed 
through  the  iron  chink,  a  machine  that  removes  their  heads,  fins,  and  viscera.  The  fish  are  then  washed 
and  cut  by  an  automatic  cutting  machine  into  lengths  suitable  for  canning.  These  pieces  are  then  put  into 
the  cans  by  automatic  fillers,  following  which  the  cans  are  closed  and  are  ready  for  cooking  in  the  steam 
retorts.  From  the  standpoint  of  sanitation  and  cleanliness,  these  automatic  processes  strongly  appeal  to 
everyone. 

At  some  canneries  hand  packing  is  still  partially  in  vogue.  This  process  differs  from  the  above  in  that 
the  fish  are  put  into  the  cans  by  hand.  More  workers  are  thus  required.  Gloves  are  worn  by  some  of  the 
employees  who  handle  the  fish,  and  their  use  by  all  persons  so  engaged  should  be  encouraged. 

Turning  to  another  part  of  the  work,  I  want  to  speak  of  the  fish  pew,  or  fish  fork.  These  pews  are 
made  sometimes  with  one  prong  and  sometimes  with  two.  They  are  used  exclusively  for  handling  the 
salmon.  I  have  seen  salmon  with  as  many  as  eight  or  nine  abrasions  made  by  these  insanitary  pews. 
There  seems  to  be  no  regard  for  the  preservation  of  the  flesh  or  the  fact  that  it  is  going  into  cans  in  a  few 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


29 


CASING   CANNED   SALMON    PREPARATORY  TO   SHIPMENT. 


LOADING  CASES  OF  SALMON   TO   BE   PLACED   ABOARD   SAILING   VESSEL   FOR  TRANSPORTATION   TO   THE   STATES. 


3o  REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 

hours.  I  opened  a  number  of  cans  of  salmon  ready  for  the  market  and  found  brown,  discolored  meat, 
he  direct  result  of  a  stab  from  a  fish  pew.  Unless  the  cannery  people  feel  the  necessity  for  stopping  this 
practice,  it  would  seem  wise  to  pass  a  law  prohibiting  the  use  of  fish  pews  on  any  part  of  the  salmon  except 
the  head.  At  some  canneries  this  is  now  being  done,  but  in  many  instances  the  matter  receives  only 
indifferent  consideration. 

There  is  another  matter  regarding  sanitary  conditions  that  should  receive  more  consideration  from  the 
owners  and  managers  of  some  of  the  canneries,  and  that  is  the  condition  of  the  outbuildings  and  surround- 
ings. The  quarters  in  which  the  employees  sleep  and  eat  are  in  some  places  quite  filthy  and  even  worse 
than  many  city  tenement  houses.  These  employees  who  handle  in  various  ways  the  food  that  is  being 
prepared  for  general  consumption  should  have  comfortable  and  healthful  quarters  and  surroundings  pro- 
vided for  them.  Matters  of  this  character  should  come  under  the  supervision  of  the  Government  officials 
just  as  much  as  the  inspection  of  the  interior  of  the  canneries. 

While  some  canneries  unfortunately  do  not  lay  great  stress  on  the  need  for  perfect  cleanliness  and 
sanitation,  there  are  many  that  are  regarding  this  with  the  seriousness  it  deserves;  therefore,  to  encourage 
and  protect  those  who  give  proper  attention  to  such  matters,  the  Government  should  be  willing  to  cooperate 
with  them  by  approving  the  goods  they  manufacture. 

GOVERNMENT   INSPECTION   OF   CANNERY   PRODUCT. 

The  question  of  Government  inspection  of  the  product  of  every  cannery  in  Alaska  is  a  splendid  scheme 
in  theory  and  is  strongly  indorsed  by  most  of  the  cannery  men  and  the  people  at  large ;  but  looked  at  from 
a  practical  standpoint  the  plan  does  not  seem  feasible.  There  are  80  canneries  in  Alaska  which  are  in  oper- 
ation from  two  to  five  months  each  year,  and  no  competent  man,  experienced  in  cannery  work,  would  give 
his  time  or  engage  himself  in  such  inspection  work  unless  afforded  employment  throughout  the  year. 
Unskilled,  impractical  men  would  only  create  disorder  and  misunderstanding.  The  suggestion  that  these 
men  be  paid  by  the  canneries  is  out  of  the  question,  for  the  Government  should  furnish  such  services  to 
make  them  of  any  value.  Therefore,  while  it  seems  highly  desirable  that  closer  inspection  be  made  of  the 
canneries  and  their  product  by  Government  officials,  it  appears  impracticable  on  account  of  the  short 
season  and  lack  of  funds  to  supply  such  inspectors.  With  a  proper  patrol  service  and  a  more  adequate  force 
of  men  to  undertake  this  work,  the  inspection  of  all  canneries  could,  to  a  large  extent,  be  accomplished. 
The  suggested  patrol  service  will  be  further  taken  up  under  another  head. 

The  question  of  handling  partly  spoiled  fish  is  an  important  one.  VThe  law  to-day  forbids  the  canning 
of  salmon  which  have  been  dead  for  more  than  48  hours]  This  is  wrong  from  two  standpoints.  It  is  an 
undeniable  fact  that  many  salmon  which  have  been  dead  not  over  24  hours,  because  of  the  method  in  which 
they  are  caught,  the  way  handled,  and  the  weather  conditions,  are  not  fit  to  go  into  cans.  On  the  other 
hand,  I  saw  fish  that  were  to  my  knowledge  60  hours  old  which  were  perfectly  good  and  could  properly 
have  been  canned  so  far  as  their  condition  was  concerned.  Still,  under  the  existing  law,  it  was  necessary 
that  these  fish  be  thrown  away. 

I  observed  in  canneries  no  less  than  a  dozen  instances  where  from  500  to  5,000  salmon  were  absolutely 
unfit  for  canning;  yet,  when  I  remonstrated  with  the  superintendents,  they  proved  that  some  of  these  fish 
were  not  over  48  hours  old.  Therefore  they  were  technically  complying  with  the  fisheries  law.  Some  of 
these  fish  had,  of  course,  deteriorated  more  than  others.  Still,  superintendents,  knowing  these  conditions, 
have  allowed  such  fish  to  be  put  up  for  food.  It  goes  without  saying  that  all  such  salmon,  canned  or 
uncanned,  were  thrown  overboard  without  delay. 

The  question  may  be  asked,  How  do  you  account  for  this  variation  in  the  condition  of  fish  at  the  same 
time  of  the  year  and  in  the  same  locality?  My  explanation  is  this:  As  previously  indicated,  the  haul  and 
purse  seines  and  gill  nets  do  not  usually  deliver  their  fish  in  as  good  condition  as  the  traps,  and  owing  to 
the  fact  that  the  fish  are  roughly  handled  in  many  instances  they  often  reach  the  cannery  bruised,  torn, 
and  in  a  deteriorated  condition.  £]Qn  the  other  hand,  the  trap  fish  are  taken  out  of  the  trap  alive,  in  a 
comparatively  easy  manner,  are  dropped  into  the  scows,  and  lie  there  in  the  moisture,  which  is  almost 
equal  to  hermetical  sealing;  and  these  fish  keep  for  hours  in  this  state  without  the  slightest  deterioration. 
Furthermore,  trap  fish  are  almost  always  delivered  at  the  canneries  more  promptly  than  fish  taken  by 
other  forms  of  geaH    I  would  therefore  recommend  that  in  place  of  the  48-hour  provision  there  be  one 


REPORT  OE  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


3i 


SALMON    IN   A   CONDITION    DESIRABLE   FOR   FOOD   OR   COMMERCIAL  USE. 


SALMON    IN   A  CONDITION    UNDESIRABLE   FOR   FOOD   OR  COMMERCIAL  USE. 


32 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


substituted  to  read  that  salmon  not  over  60  hours  out  of  the  water  may  be  canned;  but  regardless  of  how 
short  a  time  they  have  been  out  of  the  water,  if  in  any  way  unfit  for  food  they  shall  not  be  utilized.  Such 
a  provision  would  prevent  the  utilization  of  salmon  that  have  passed  their  usefulness  as  a  food  on  account 
of  having  spawned,  although  fresh  from  the  water;  and  those  that  have  been  improperly  handled  and 
cared  for. 

In  connection  with  the  canning  of  salmon  it  seems  to  me  most  important  that  every  concern  in 
Alaska  should  have  a  distinctive  mark  on  all  its  cans,  so  that  responsibility  may  rest  on  the  packers  and 
not  on  the  jobbers.     The  cannery  men  really  desire  this,  for  most  of  them  are  proud  of  their  product 


Embossed  can  tops,  showing  scheme  of  one  company  for  designating  different  species  of  salmon. 
(1)  Red  or  sockeye;  (2)  humpback  or  pink;  (3)  coho  or  silver;  and  (4)  dog  or  chum. 

and  they  want  the  credit  for  its  manufacture.  Not  only  should  every  can  be  marked  distinctly  with 
the  name  or  initials  of  the  company  packing  it,  but  it  should  also  clearly  indicate  what  kind  of  salmon  it 
contains.  The  Alaska  Packers  Association  has  the  clearest  and  most  distinctive  mark  to-day,  and  the 
plan  should  be  followed  out  by  other  concerns.     These  trade-marks  should  all  be  registered. 


DO-OVERS. 

Do-overs,  or  cans  that  have  been  cooked  and  reprocessed,  should  not  be  handled  for  food  purposes, 
for  they  are  usually  unfit  for  human  consumption.  Since  there  are  a  considerable  number  of  these,  they 
might  be  utilized  at  hatcheries  as  food  for  fry,  or  possibly  as  food  on  fox  ranches.  It  would  really  be 
better,  however,  if  all  do-overs  were  destroyed  at  the  canneries.  This  is  now  being  done  in  a  number 
of  instances. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


33 


TROLLING   AND   GILL   NETTING   FOR   KING   SALMON   AT   MOUTH   OF  STIKINE   RIVER. 


SALMON    UNFIT   FOR  CANNING. 


74025— 15 3 


34  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

MILD  CURING. 

Mild  curing  is  a  very  desirable  and  popular  way  of  handling  the  salmon  and  makes  of  it  a  most 
palatable  food.  The  process  consists  of  lightly  salting  the  fish  and  keeping  them  at  a  low  temperature 
until  ready  for  the  consumer  or  for  smoking,  as  is  often  the  method  of  treatment  before  they  are  finally 
marketed.  The  mild-curing  business  has  reached  considerable  proportions  and  the  popularity  of  the 
product  has  extended  over  two  continents.  The  industry  is  confined  to  the  utilization  of  king  salmon 
and,  to  a  small  extent,  to  cohos. 

In  Alaska  during  the  past  season  there  was  trouble  between  the  mild  curers  and  the  fishermen.  It 
reached  such  proportions  in  May  and  June  that  it  threatened  to  demoralize  the  entire  business.  The 
fishermen  charged  the  mild-curing  establishments  with  refusal  to  accept  a  large  part  of  their  catch.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  mild  curers  warned  the  fishermen  in  many  instances  that  they  could  not  use  over  three 
red-meated  kings  per  boat  per  day,  and  that  if  they  brought  in  more  they  would  not  be  received.  This 
created  discontent  and  disorder,  which  resulted  in  the  waste  of  many  thousands  of  king  salmon,  both  red 
and  white  meated.  In  some  cases  it  was  proved  conclusively  that  after  fishermen  had  brought  their  catch 
to  the  dock  they  were  offered  30  cents  for  the  red  kings  under  20  pounds,  $1  for  reds  over  20  pounds,  and 
nothing  for  the  white  king  salmon.  To  some  extent,  however,  matters  were  adjusted  temporarily  and  work 
continued.     Of  course,  this  situation  must  not  occur  another  year. 

There  is  something  to  be  said  on  both  sides  of  the  controversy.  Irrespective  of  whether  the  fish 
caught  are  of  large  or  small  size,  the  fishermen  must  not  catch  more  than  the  total  number  they  are 
instructed  to  bring  in  for  each  day's  catch,  and  on  the  other  hand  the  fishermen  must  be  assured  that  all 
fish  brought  in  to  make  up  this  daily  quota  will  be  accepted.  The  success  of  a  fisherman's  efforts  thus 
becomes  a  matter  of  chance,  for  his  profits  will  be  in  proportion  as  he  catches  large  fish. 

One  of  the  things  that  caused  great  dissatisfaction  during  the  season  was  the  fact  that  many  of  the 
fishermen  were  instructed  to  bring  in  only  three  red  kings  a  day.  If  all  were  small,  it  might  mean  only 
90  cents  for  a  whole  day's  work.  This  would  encourage  them  to  throw  away  all  small  fish  as  fast  as 
caught,  in  anticipation  of  taking  three  larger  ones  that  would  bring  $1  apiece.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
buyers  of  king  salmon  must  and  should  take  care  of  both  red  and  white  king  salmon,  of  all  sizes,  brought 
to  them  on  contract;  and  if  they  are  not  willing  to  do  this  and  to  thus  utilize  the  small  red-meated  fish, 
and  all  the  whites,  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  operate. 

As  a  matter  of  information,  it  may  be  well  to  give  an  idea  of  the  sizes  of  sides  obtained  from  some  of  the 
fish  used  in  mild  curing.  For  example,  a  25-pound  salmon  will  make  two  8-pound  sides,  and  an  18-pound 
salmon  will  make  two  6-pound  sides.  Sides  under  6  pounds  are  not  profitable  in  mild  curing  and,  it  is 
said,  will  not  stand  smoking. 

The  question  of  cold-storage  operations  applies  here,  and  while  it  is  understood  that  king  salmon 
under  1 8  or  20  pounds  do  not  produce  sides  that  can  be  profitably  mild  cured  there  is  no  sufficient  reason 
why  red  kings  under  that  weight,  and  all  white  kings,  should  not  be  accepted  for  freezing  purposes.  It  is 
imperative  that  none  of  these  valuable  fish  shall  be  wasted  either  by  the  fishermen  or  mild  curers. 

POWER-BOAT  TROLLING. 

Power-boat  trolling  is  a  new  feature,  comparatively  speaking,  in  Alaska  waters.  It  is  confined  chiefly 
to  the  capture  of  king  salmon  during  the  spring  and  early  summer.  There  is  no  question  but  that  these 
boats  have  worked  great  harm  and  have  been  injurious  to  the  fishermen's  interests,  as  many  of  them  now 
realize.  On  account  of  the  speed  of  the  boats,  the  fishermen  necessarily  troll  with  lines  high  in  the  water, 
and  for  this  reason  a  large  percentage  of  the  catch  consists  of  small  fish.  The  larger  fish  are  found  at 
lower  depths.  The  large  proportion  of  small  fish  was  the  cause  of  the  unfortunate  controversy  between 
the  mild-cure  buyers  and  the  fishermen  this  year.  Another  unfortunate  feature  is  that  the  fishermen 
on  power  boats  lose  many  of  the  fish  which  are  hooked  and  which  afterwards  die.  This  applies  especially 
to  the  large  fish.  It  is  impossible  to  play  them  as  from  a  rowboat,  and  this  playing  is  sometimes  very 
necessary  in  order  to  save  these  gamy  fish. 

There  were  about  200  power  boats  on  the  west  coast  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island  and  vicinity  during  the 
early  part  of  last  June.  While  some  fishermen  use  these  boats  only  as  a  means  of  transportation,  fishing 
from  their  dories  when  they  arrive  on  the  fishing  grounds,  almost  all  of  them  fish  directly  from  the  power 
boats  on  account  of  the  saving  in  manual  labor.     The  result  is  that  they  are  injuring  and  permanently 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


35 


GILL-NET   OPERATIONS   AT    MOUTH    OF  TAKU    RIVER.      HAULING    IN    A   COHO    SALMON. 


POWER  BOAT  USED  FOR  KING-SALMON  TROLLING,  SHOWING  TWO  OUT- 
RIGGERS TO  WHICH  LINES  ARE  ATTACHED.  OTHER  LINES  ARE  HANDLED 
FROM    STERN    OF   BOAT. 


METHOD   OF    DRESSING    KING    SALMON    FOR    MILD   CURING. 


36 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


ruining  their  business.  Hand  trailers  can  fish  deeper,  they  get  larger  fish,  they  lose  fewer  fish,  and  the 
results  have  proved  far  less  injurious  than  the  new  method  of  power-boat  trolling.  I  would  strongly 
advocate  the  prohibition  of  power-boat  trolling  in  Alaska  waters. 


SALMON  SALTERIES. 


The  salting  of  salmon  in  Alaska  is  now  confined  chiefly  to  the  Bering  Sea  region,  where  the  red  or 
sockeye  salmon  is  available  for  this  purpose.  In  southeast  Alaska  the  industry  has  declined  very  per- 
ceptibly in  recent  years,  chiefly  because  of  the  fact  that  in  this  section  most  of  the  salmon  salted  have  been 


Sketch  of  waters  that  should  be  closed  to  commercial  fishing. 

pinks,  the  market  for  which  in  the  last  few  years  has  not  been  strong.     Moreover,  the  mild-cure  field  has 

been  much  more  profitable  and  attractive  to  most  of  those  formerly  engaged  in  salting  operations.     In 

southeast  Alaska  red  salmon  are  less  abundant  and  are  therefore  considered  to  be  more  valuable  for  canning 

than  for  salting. 

CLOSING  STREAMS  TO  COMMERCIAL  FISHING. 

Owing  to  the  ever  increasing  demand  on  nearly  all  waters  of  Alaska  for  almost  their  entire  supply  of 
salmon,  it  seems  absolutely  necessary  in  the  interests  of  the  future  of  the  fishery  to  make  further  closures 
of  streams  to  all  commercial  fishing.  A  number  of  waters  have  already  been  so  closed  by  order  of  the 
Secretary  of  Commerce,  and  it  is  recommended  that  six  other  waters  be  similarly  closed,  as  enumerated 
below : 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


37 


DIP-NET   FISHING    FOR  SOCKEYE  AND   KING  SALMON 
ON    COPPER    RIVER,    AT    MILE   55. 


SALTERY   ON    COPPER    RIVER. 


38 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


First.  The  present  fishing  at  the  mouth  and  delta  of  Copper  River  is  all  the  stream  ought  to  stand, 
and  to  insure  a  certain  number  of  salmon  reaching  their  spawning  grounds  it  is  advisable  to  close  this 
stream  above  the  delta  to  all  kinds  of  fishing,  except  for  domestic  purposes,  and  allow  no  fish  to  be  shipped 
out  in  any  shape  or  form. 

Second.  The  Ankow  River  near  Yakutat  should  be  protected  against  all  commercial  fishing.  This 
might  result  in  some  hardship  for  the  Indians  who  rely  on  this  stream  for  their  winter  supply  of  fish,  but 
such  fishing  might  be  allowed  with  perfect  propriety  if  done  under  certain  restrictions  and  without  any 
of  the  catch  being  utilized  for  commercial  purposes. 

Third.  At  Lake  Bay  the  waters  above  the  entrance  to  Barnes  Lake  should  be  closed  to  all  commercial 
fishing.     These  waters  embrace  Gold  and  Galligan  Lagoons,  Sweet  Lake,  Lyman  Creek,  and  Lester  River. 


Further  restrictions  proposed  for  fishing  off  mouth  of  salmon  stream  at  Karta  Bay.     This  is  typical  of  other  Alaska  streams. 

Lyman  Creek  is  a  sockeye  stream  and  Lester  River  is  a  silver  and  humpback  salmon  stream.  They  are 
worthy  of  every  protection  that  can  be  afforded  them. 

Fourth.  In  Whale  Passage  Lagoon,  at  Thorne  Island,  near  Lake  Bay,  there  should  be  no  commercial 
fishing.  At  the  present  time  two  traps  are  located  there,  and  to  a  great  extent  they  prevent  many  of  the 
fish  from  ascending  to  the  spawning  grounds. 

Fifth.  Mink  Arm,  one  of  the  tributaries  of  Boca  de  Quadra,  should  be  closed  to  all  fishing.  Under 
present  conditions  this  water  seems  highly  valuable  for  salmon  breeding  and  for  hatchery  work. 

Sixth.  Hetta  River  and  Lagoon  and  Klawak  Inlet,  both  on  the  west  coast  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island, 
should  be  closed,  to  afford  better  protection  to  the  hatcheries  drawing  their  supply  of  brood  salmon  from 
these  waters. 

If  Congress  passes  a  law  prohibiting  all  fishing  within  half  a  mile  of  stream  mouths,  as  suggested  in 
this  report,  it  may  not  be  necessary  to  have  special  closing  orders  for  all  of  the  waters  named  above. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


39 


SEPARATING   SALMON    FROM   OTHER   EDIBLE   FISH    NOT   UTILIZED. 


BOTTOM     OF    SCOW     FROM     WHICH     SALMON     HAVE     BEEN     REMOVED,     SHOWING 

EDIBLE   FISH    NOT   UTILIZED. 


4° 


REPORT  OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


NATURAL  BARRIER   AT   SILVER   SALMON    FALLS,    LESTER   RIVER.      NOTE   MASS   OF   SALMON 

IN    FOREGROUND. 


NATURAL   BARRIER    IN    KETCHIKAN   CREEK. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


4i 


STEP   FALLS,    HOFSTAD   CREEK,   A   NATURAL   BARRIER  TO   ASCENT  OF  SALMON. 


ENORMOUS  TREES   FORMING    LOG  JAM    HALF   A   MILE   LONG    IN    LESTER   RIVER. 


42 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


OBSTRUCTIONS  IN  STREAMS. 

While  the  overfishing  in  Alaska  waters,  which  has  had  much  to  do  with  the  waning  supply  in  some 
sections,  necessitates  an  imperative  curtailment  in  the  methods  and  extent  of  fishing  operations,  there 
are  other  ways  of  benefiting  the  future  supply,  the  responsibility  for  which  rests  entirely  with  the  Govern- 
ment. In  many  good  streams  in  Alaska  there  are  obstructions  which,  to  a  great  extent,  prevent  the 
salmon  from  ascending  to  their  spawning  grounds.  These  obstructions  are  either  of  the  nature  of  natural 
falls  or  of  barriers  formed  by  jams  of  wind-fallen  trees.  Some  of  the  falls  are  so  high  that  it  is  impossible 
for  the  salmon  to  ascend  in  any  season.  There  are  others  of  lesser  height  which  at  certain  stages  of  the 
water  mav  be  ascended  by  the  salmon,  but  with  more  or  less  difficulty.  I  personally  investigated  a  number 
of  streams  in  which  obstacles  to  the  ascent  of  salmon  exist,  and  while  not  everything  along  this  line  can 


*2far/0rta 


~y  Trap 

Trap  too  close  to  mouth  of  stream  and  falls  that  should  be  blown  out. 

be  done  at  once  there  are  six  streams  where  I  recommend  that  early  action  be  taken  to  correct  the  existing 
conditions.     These  streams  are  as  follows: 

Ketchikan  Creek. — This  creek,  which  has  always  been  famous  as  a  humpback  stream,  has  three 
obstructions  to-day.  There  are  two  falls  of  18  feet  and  25  feet  each  in  height,  and  a  long,  high,  log  jam 
which  is  increasing  in  size  each  year,  and  very  few  salmon  can  get  over  or  under  it.  The  partial  removal 
of  this  log  jam  would  cost  very  little.  The  removal  of  the  two  falls  is  impracticable,  but  fish  ladders 
could  be  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,500. 

Gray  Creek. — This  creek,  the  outlet  of  which  is  Anan  Lagoon,  is  a  splendid  humpback  stream,  yet 
many  of  the  fish  I  saw  dead  this  year  had  fought  the  rapids  and  falls  so  long  that  they  fell  back  to  be 


REPORT  OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


43 


LOOKING    DOWN    MILL   CREEK    FALLS   TOWARD    EASTERN 
PASSAGE. 


GRAY  CREEK,  SHOWING  SALMON  WHICH  HAVE  DIED 
BEFORE  SPAWNING,  HAVING  BEEN  UNABLE  TO  ASCEND 
FALLS.     THOUSANDS  OF   SALMON   ARE  THUS   LOST. 


44 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


SALMON    LEAPING    FALLS. 


LOG   JAM    IN.  KETCHIKAN    CREEK    WHICH    PREVENTS   ASCENT   OF   SPAWNING    SALMON. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


45 


SOCKEYE    FALLS,   LYMAN   CREEK,   A   BARRIER   TO  THE  ASCENT   OF  SALMON. 


OBSTRUCTION    IN    KETCHIKAN   CREEK. 


46 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


killed  by  various  enemies.  For  about  $250  a  portion  of  these  steep  falls  could  be  blown  out,  which  would 
assure  the  fish  ascending  the  stream  to  natural  spawning  grounds. 

Mill  Creek. — In  this  creek,  which  empties  into  Eastern  Passage  opposite  the  north  end  of  Wrangell 
Island,  there  is  great  opportunity  for  a  similar  work.  The  fish  congregate  in  multitudes  at  the  foot  of  these 
rapids  every  year.  If  the  water  happens  to  be  low,  none  can  get  up,  and  they  fall  an  easy  prey  to  the 
seines.  With  an  expenditure  of  about  $250  these  falls  could  be  lowered  in  such  a  way  as  to  insure  the 
ascent  of  humpbacks  and  sockeyes  to  waters  where  the  conditions  can  not  be  improved  upon  for  breeding 
grounds.  This  creek  is  the  outlet  of  Virginia  Lake,  and  its  headwaters  are  ideal  spawning  grounds  for 
sockeye  salmon. 

Hofstad  Creek. — This  creek  empties  into  Vixen  Bay,  and  I  found  many  humpbacks  and  chums  present. 
At  a  point  one  mile  from  its  mouth  are  step  falls  that  present  an  obstruction  to  many  salmon  that  start 
to  ascend  the  stream,  which  extends  a  number  of  miles  above.  Blowing  out  these  falls  with  dynamite 
is  impracticable,  but  a  fish  ladder  could  no  doubt  be  erected  here  at  a  cost  of  about  $800. 


%?'% 


t 


V'"' 

''tr. 

% 

%< 

S 

~0i\     ** 

'a-    <s> 

•t>        c 

v  ■ 

Falls  in  Hofstad  Creek  where  fish  way  is  needed. 


Sweet  Lake  tributaries. — This  lake  lies  on  the  north  side  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  and  the  two  upper 
tributaries  are  Lyman  Creek  and  Lester  River,  the  first  a  sockeye  stream  and  the  second  a  humpback  and 
silver  salmon  stream.  On  each  of  these  streams,  4  miles  from  their  mouths,  there  are  almost  impassable 
falls  known  as  Sockeye  Salmon  and  Silver  Salmon  Falls,  which  could  be  removed  at  a  cost  of  about  S250 
each.  In  the  early  part  of  September,  1914,  I  stood  at  Silver  Salmon  Falls  and  watched  the  salmon  try 
to  ascend  at  the  rate  of  about  50  a  minute,  but  very  few  of  them  ever  worked  up  the  stream,  as  was 
clearly  shown  by  observation  below  the  falls  and  along  the  still  waters,  where  hundreds  of  these  fish  lay 
dead,  bruised,  and  cut  from  their  efforts.  The  investment  of  a  few  thousand  dollars  on  all  of  these  streams 
would  mean  a  great  return  in  the  future,  as  the  result  of  opening  up  additional  natural  spawning  grounds 
as  yet  almost  wholly  untouched. 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


47 


SILVER   SALMON   FALLS,   LESTER   RIVER.     NOTE   NUMBERS  OF   SALMON  TRYING  TO   ASCEND. 


MILL  CREEK   FALLS,   A    NATURAL   BARRIER   TO  THE  ASCENT   OF   MANY   SALMON. 


48  REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

"^NATURAL  ENEMIES  OF  SALMON. 

It  is  necessary  to  study  carefully  all  agencies,  both  natural  and  otherwise,  tending  to  deplete  the 
supply  of  salmon  and  other  food  fishes  in  the  waters  of  Alaska,  and  to  apply  as  far  as  possible  proper 
remedial  measures.  Those  engaged  in  the  great  fishing  industry  say  the  blame  for  the  diminished  numbers 
of  salmon  is  due  largely  to  natural  enemies,  which  include  bears,  wolves,  eagles,  gulls,  terns,  mergansers, 
hair  seals,  trout,  and  sculpins.  These  enemies  undoubtedly  destroy  enormous  numbers  of  salmon  and 
their  eggs.  But  this  condition  has  gone  on  for  years,  and  would  continue  without  serious  detriment  to 
the  supply  if  it  were  not  for  the  added  drain  resulting  from  heavy  fishing  now  carried  on  in  Alaska  waters. 
It  is  evident  from  close  observation  that  man  has  had  much  to  do  with  the  waning  supply  of  salmon  now 
apparent  in  some  sections.     Of  course,  this  great  natural  resource  was  made  for  man's  use,  and  we  must 


■M&W? 


Waters  tributary  to  Lake  Bay. 

recognize,  in  every  way  possible,  the  fact  that  he  has  first  claim  and  that  the  fish  are  there  to  be  taken, 
but  properly  and  with  discretion,  so  that  the  future  supply  will  not  be  jeopardized.  Under  the  present 
head,  however,  it  is  the  purpose  to  discuss  chiefly  the  more  important  natural  enemies  of  the  salmon. 

*Bears. — We  will  consider  first  the  bears,  which  do  their  greatest  damage  during  the  spawning  season. 
When  the  salmon  are  up  in  shallow  streams  seeking  suitable  places  to  deposit  their  eggs,  these  animals 
haunt  the  shores,  and  with  their  huge  paws  slap  the  fish  out  of  the  water,  first  often  playing  with  them, 
and  later  perhaps  eating  a  portion  of  them.  This  condition  is  worse  in  some  sections  of  Alaska  than  in 
others,  due  partly  to  a  lack  of  other  foods  and  partly  to  the  condition  of  the  waters.  Also,  bears  are  much 
more  plentiful  in  some  parts  of  Alaska  than  in  others.  I  should  like  to  cite  a  few  instances  of  actual  condi- 
tions as  I  saw  them,  concerning  the  destruction  of  salmon  where  they  had  not  yet  spawned. 

•At  Union  Bay,  Cleveland  Peninsula,  I  spent  over  a  clay  in  and  around  the  region  of  Black  Bear  Creek. 
I  walked  the  middle  of  the  stream,  also  examining  both  banks  for  as  much  as  3  miles.     I  found  the  greater 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


49 


BROWN   BEAR,  ONE  OF  THE  NATURAL  ENEMIES  OF 
SALMON,     WEIGHT  1,200  POUNDS. 


74025—15- 


GULLS  FEEDING  ON   HERRING  SPAWN   NEAR  SITKA. 


5o 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


AMERICAN  MERGANSERS,  NATURAL  ENEMIES  OF  SALMON. 


AN     EAGLE,    NATURAL    ENEMY    OF    SALMON    AND    YOUNG 
DEER. 


GULLS   EATING   CANNERY   WASTE. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


5i 


A  HAIR  SEAL  AND  KING  SALMON  THAT  IT  H  AS' M  UTI  LATED.  NEAR 
WRANGELL. 


GULLS  WAITING   TO   FEAST   ON   SALMON   AND   THEIR   EGGS. 


52  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

part  of  the  shore,  sometimes  for  ioo  to  1 50  feet  back  from  the  stream,  trodden  like  a  pasture  in  well-defined 
paths  that  looked  as  if  made  by  cattle.  Over  all  this  area,  frequented  by  bears  during  the  salmon  runs, 
I  saw  hundreds  upon  hundreds  of  humpbacks,  silvers,  and  chums  that  had  been  thrown  out  of  the  water 
by  these  animals.  In  the  majority  of  cases  the  fish  were  not  mutilated,  only  bruised  by  the  mark  of  the 
bear's  paw  on  their  backs,  showing  their  characteristic  way  of  tossing  the  fish  out  of  water.  The  bear 
is  very  fastidious  and  prefers  the  cheek  of  the  salmon  to  any  other  part.  In  most  cases  the  remaining 
portion  of  each  fish  is  left  untouched.  One  can  readily  realize  that  a  large,  healthy  bear  would  require  a 
great  many  salmon  cheeks  to  satisfy  his  ravenous  appetite.  The  stench  along  this  stream  was  most 
unpleasant,  and  besides  the  fish  in  varying  stages  of  decomposition  there  were  many  bones  that  gave  indi- 
cation of  the  large  number  of  salmon  destroyed  annually  by  the  bears. 

I  found  a  similar  condition  on  Prince  of  Wales  Island  below  Silver  Salmon  Falls,  where  thousands  of 
fish,  unable  to  ascend  this  natural  barrier,  had  fallen  back  tired  and  worn  out,  only  to  be  cast  ashore  by 
bears.  If  the  bear  would  take  out  of  the  water  only  what  he  actually  eats,  this  condition  would  not  be 
nearly  so  bad;  but  the  destruction  of  so  many  fish  from  pure  maliciousness,  or  playfulness,  makes  it  a 
serious  matter. 

The  foregoing  examples  of  Union  Bay  and  Prince  of  Wales  Island  are  merely  typical  of  many  other 
places  where  black  bears  are  very  plentiful  and  the  destruction  of  salmon  is  correspondingly  heavy.  On 
Admiralty  and  Baranof  Islands,  where  the  brown  and  grizzly  bears  are  more  common,  these  conditions  are 
just  as  bad  as  on  other  streams  in  southeastern  Alaska  which  empty  into  arms  of  the  sea. 

And  not  alone  in  this  section  of  the  country  are  the  salmon  interests  affected  by  the  depredations  of 
bears,  for  in  many  localities  in  the  central  and  western  regions  the  same  effects  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
year  are  observed.  On  Kodiak  Island,  where  the  largest  bears  in  the  world  are  found,  they  frequent  the 
streams  and  spawning  grounds  of  the  sockeye  and  the  humpback  salmons.  A  native  told  me  that  one  of 
these  animals  can  eat,  in  a  single  day,  a  third  of  its  own  weight.  This  may  be  somewhat  exaggerated, 
but  when  one  realizes  that  an  adult  specimen  of  this  bear  weighs  about  three-fourths  of  a  ton  he  can  appre- 
ciate the  number  of  salmon  needed  for  its  subsistence.  As  in  other  parts  of  the  Territory,  this  bear  also 
throws  considerable  numbers  of  fish  out  of  the  water,  many  of  which  it  may  never  care  to  touch  for  food. 
Wolves. — Wolves  play  a  part  similar  to  the  bears  in  the  destruction  of  salmon,  but  to  a  less  extent, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  they  prefer  to  hunt  game,  especially  deer. 

Eagles. — In  southeast  Alaska,  particularly,  the  eagle  is  a  contributing  cause  in  the  destruction  of 
salmon  during  the  spawning  season.  I  noted,  on  one  cluster  of  rocks  on  Admiralty  Island,  between  40 
and  50  of  these  birds  that  had  been  satisfying  their  appetites  on  salmon  in  a  stream  close  by.  Below 
Silver  Salmon  Falls,  and  on  Hofstad  Creek,  and  again  on  Black  Bear  Creek,  I  observed  hundreds  of  them, 
early  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening,  ravenously  eating  salmon  that  had  been  making  an  effort  to  reach 
their  goal.  British  Columbia  has  a  bounty  on  these  destructive  birds,  and  I  think  that  it  would  be  the 
means  of  saving  many  salmon  and  their  spawn  if  the  United  States  Government  placed  a  similar  bounty 
on  them  in  Alaska. 

There  is  another  feature  worthy  of  consideration,  showing  the  depredations  of  the  eagle.  It  hardly 
comes  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  still  it  is  in  line  with  conservation  and  protection. 
I  not  only  observed,  but  have  heard  from  various  reliable  sources,  that  eagles  kill  many  fawns.  I  saw 
where  a  number  of  eagles  had  destroyed  two  fawns,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  many  hundreds  of  them 
are  killed  every  season. 

Gulls  and  terns. — Of  the  birds,  probably  the  most  destructive  to  fish  life  are  the  gulls  and  terns.  It 
is  difficult  to  state  adequately  the  amount  of  damage  they  do  and  the  menace  they  are  to  the  future  supply 
of  salmon.  To  make  this  clearer,  I  will  cite  one  experience  I  had  in  western  Alaska  at  Sierra  Creek.  I 
inspected  this  stream  on  a  rainy  day  at  low  tide,  and  as  I  approached  it  at  the  mouth  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  a  movement  of  birds  in  the  water  and  along  the  banks.  As  I  drew  nearer,  I  saw  thousands 
of  salmon  fighting  their  way  up  the  shallow  stream,  and  among  these  fish  were  the  gulls,  picking  out  first 
one  eye  and  then  the  other.  I  flushed  this  enormous  horde  of  gulls,  which  I  believe  numbered  at  least  10,000. 
Going  closer  to  the  stream  I  found  humpback  salmon  flopping  everywhere,  with  their  eyes  gone  and  other- 
wise mutilated  from  the  picking  and  clawing  of  these  birds.  I  estimated  that  on  this  creek  alone  there 
were  within -sight  5,000  fish,  either  dead  or  dying,  that  had  never  spawned.  In  southeastern  Alaska,  in 
Anan  Lagoon,  which  is  supplied  by  Gray  Creek,  I  noted  a  similar  condition,  and  picked  up  many  salmon 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


33 


TWO    HAIR   SEALS   TAKEN    FROM    A    FISH    TRAP   WHERE   THEY    HAD    MUTILATED 
SEVERAL   HUNDRED   SALMON. 


REMOVING   SHARKS   FROM   TRAP 


54  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

that  had  been  unable  to  get  farther  up  the  stream,  on  account  of  a  natural  obstruction,  and  were  thus 
killed  by  gulls  and  other  enemies  before  spawning.  I  could  enumerate  many  other  instances  which  would 
merely  confirm  the  results  of  these  observations. 

There  are  other  fish  that  suffer  equally  as  much  from  the  gulls.  On  the  western  coast,  near  Sitka, 
and  in  other  regions,  earlier  in  the  season  their  prey  is  principally  the  herring  and  their  eggs.  Many  millions 
are  sacrificed  in  this  way.  It  is  beyond  comprehension  that  this  vast  number  of  birds,  so  injurious  to  a 
great  industry  and  so  destructive  to  much  valuable  food,  should  be  protected  by  law.  Their  only  redeeming 
feature,  as  far  as  I  can  see,  is  that  they  act  as  scavengers  for  the  cannery  people  who  are  willing  to  dump 
refuse  almost  into  their  front  yards  to  be  eaten  up  by  these  ravenous  birds.  However,  I  think  this  is  a 
poor  argument  in  their  favor,  for  the  cannery  men  should  improve  conditions  by  taking  care  of  this  waste 
material  rather  than  depend  on  the  present  means  for  disposing  of  it. 

In  some  localities,  and  especially  on  Forrester  Island,  the  Indians  have  been  collecting  gull  eggs  for 
food.  Since  Forrester  Island  was  made  a  bird  reservation,  this  has  been  prohibited,  but  I  think  that  so 
far  as  the  gull  is  concerned  the  practice  ought  to  be  permitted.  While  I  do  not  at  present  approve  of 
any  bounty  on  gulls,  I  feel  that  no  protective  law  should  apply  to  them  anywhere  in  Alaska,  and  that 
the  use  of  their  eggs  for  food  purposes  should  be  permitted  whenever  desired. 

The  terns  are  also  very  destructive,  as  their  food  in  some  localities  consists  almost  solely  of  salmon 
eggs  and  young  salmon.  In  several  instances  I  observed  them  diving  for  these  eggs  during  the  spawning 
season,  and  upon  killing  them  their  crops  would  be  found  filled  with  eggs. 

American  merganser. — Another  destructive  agent  to  salmon  is  the  American  merganser,  commonly 
known  as  the  sawbill.  I  observed  many  instances  where  this  salmon  destroyer  had  dug  up  eggs  under 
the  water  and  had  also  swallowed  young  salmon.  In  examining  their  crops,  I  found  added  assurance 
that  their  food  at  certain  times  of  the  year,  at  least,  comprises  salmon  and  trout  and  their  eggs. 

Hair  seal. — Another  very  destructive  agent  to  all  fish  is  the  hair  seal.  This  animal  has  comparatively 
little  value  except  as  it  is  used  by  the  natives  for  boats,  wearing  apparel,  and  for  making  souvenirs.  Hair 
seals  are  very  plentiful  in  certain  localities  and  do  a  great  deal  of  damage  to  fishing  gear  and  to  the  fish 
caught  therein.  In  one  instance  I  saw  two  hair  seals  in  a  trap  that  had  partly  eaten  or  mutilated  nearly 
every  salmon  that  had  been  caught;  and  this  is  not  of  infrequent  occurrence.  Also  in  gill-net  operations 
they  are  very  troublesome  and  destructive,  as  it  often  happens  that  before  a  fisherman  can  haul  in  his 
net  these  hungry  seals  will  bite  into  a  large  number  of  his  catch  of  salmon,  thereby  spoiling  them. 

Trout. — Much  has  been  said  about  the  trouts,  the  Dolly  Varden,  cutthroat,  steelhead,  and  rainbow, 
and  the  damage  they  do  in  consuming  so  many  of  the  small  salmon  and  eggs.  This  is  no  doubt  true  in 
a  large  measure,  but  it  is  only  one  of  several  principal  contributing  causes  in  the  destruction  of  the  salmon; 
and  while  I  have  seen,  from  personal  examination,  many  trout  whose  stomachs  contained  small  salmon 
and  eggs,  I  think  that,  considering  the  value  of  trout  for  food  purposes,  they  should  not  be  annihilated, 
as  has  been  advocated  by  many. 

Sculpins. — Attention  is  also  directed  to  sculpins,  which  are  very  destructive  to  salmon.  Their  efforts 
are  confined  chiefly  to  eating  eggs  and  young  salmon  on  the  spawning  grounds. 

HALIBUT  INDUSTRY. 

The  halibut  industry  in  Alaska  waters  has  expanded  very  much  in  the  last  few  years,  and  is  now 
second  only  to  the  salmon  industry.  In  some  localities,  however,  where  halibut  were  formerly  plentiful, 
there  is  a  noticeable  diminution,  and  while  a  few  years  ago  large  quantities  of  halibut  were  caught  in  readily 
accessible  waters  it  is  now  necessary  for  the  fishermen  to  go  some  distance  in  order  to  make  satisfactory 
catches.  A  good  example  is  Frederick  Sound,  which  formerly  was  one  of  the  best  halibut  grounds  in 
southeastern  Alaska,  but  where  now  the  supply  is  greatly  depleted.  This,  however,  is  not  an  extensive 
field,  comparatively  speaking. 

Both  the  methods  of  fishing  and  the  increased  number  of  participants  in  the  industry  are  responsible 
for  the  depletion  of  the  supply.  The  former  almost  exclusive  use  of  small  boats  assured  a  natural  pro- 
tection, for  their  use  was  confined  to  comparatively  small  areas,  and  rough  weather  limited  the  period 
of  operations.  At  the  present  time  seagoing  vessels  are  used,  and  the  field  and  time  of  operations  are 
thereby  greatly  extended. 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


55 


WATER  COVERED   WITH    DO-OVERS   AND   UNDERWEIGHT  CANS   OF  SALMON   THAT   HAVE   BEEN 

THROWN   OVERBOARD. 


SORTING    HALIBUT  AS   LANDED    FROM    FISHING   VESSEL.     THOSE  ON   THE   DOCK   HAVE   BEEN    DISCARDED,  TO   BE 

THROWN   AWAY   LATER. 


56 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


SALT  COD    IN    PICKLING   TANKS   AT   UNGA. 


■■■■■ 


250,000   POUNDS   OF  SALT  COD,   UNGA    ISLAND. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


57 


INDIAN    METHOD   OF   DRYING    HERRING   SPAWN   ON    FIR   TREES   NEAR   SITKA. 


58  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

There  is  a  demand  for  a  close  season  on  halibut,  but  this  does  not  seem  feasible  for  the  same  reasons 
that  a  tax  on  halibut  is  not  advisable.  A  close  season  would  work  a  hardship  on  American  fishermen  as 
compared  with  Canadian  fishermen. 

It  is  popularly  supposed,  especially  in  the  East,  that  most  of  the  halibut  consumed  in  this  country 
come  from  the  Atlantic.  This  is  not  correct,  for  the  records  show  that  Pacific  waters  supply  about  85 
per  cent  of  the  entire  production  of  halibut.  The  bulk  of  this  yield  is  from  the  banks  off  the  coast  of 
Alaska. 

The  initial  preservation  of  halibut  in  large  cold-storage  plants  in  Alaska,  where  they  are  glazed  in  ice, 
and  the  subsequent  shipment  of  them  in  refrigerator  steamers  to  Pacific  coast  ports  and  thence  by  refrig- 
erator cars  to  the  eastern  centers  of  distribution  at  Boston,  New  York,  and  elsewhere,  insures  the  consumer 
a  high-grade  and  wholesome  food  product.  The  Alaska  halibut  industry  at  present  centers  at  Ketchikan. 
The  principal  shipping  points  are  Seattle  and  Vancouver,  but  with  the  completion  of  the  Grand  Trunk 
Pacific  Railway  to  Prince  Rupert,  British  Columbia,  that  port  is  likely  to  become  soon  a  most  important 
center  of  the  halibut  industry.  Prince  Rupert  is  only  about  90  miles  from  Ketchikan,  and  is  600  miles 
nearer  than  rail  facilities  at  Seattle.  Thus,  halibut  shipped  by  way  of  Prince  Rupert  can  be  laid  down 
in  eastern  markets  in  from  24  to  48  hours  less  time  than  when  shipped  from  Seattle.  It  becomes  evident 
that  American  transportation  interests  must  offer  inducements  in  order  to  prevent  a  considerable  loss 
of  trade. 

CODFISH  INDUSTRY. 

The  codfish  industry  is  the  oldest  fishery  proper  in  Alaska,  having  had  its  inception  more  than  50  years 
ago  while  the  Territory  was  still  under  Russian  control.  It  has  increased  materially  since  that  time  and 
has  proved  a  valuable  asset,  but  there  is  still  much  ground  that  has  been  untouched;  so  we  are  assured 
of  an  abundant  supply  for  many  years  to  come.  The  Alaska  codfish  is  of  first-class  quality,  and  not- 
withstanding occasional  adverse  reports  it  is  equal  in  every  way  to  the  Atlantic  cod.  Some  of  the  fishing 
grounds  are  still  known  only  in  a  general  way,  and  the  Government  should  lend  its  assistance  by  pointing 
out  more  profitable  banks,  in  order  that  the  industry  may  be  developed  more  extensively 

Unga  Island,  in  the  Shumagin  Group,  is  the  headquarters  from  which  most  of  the  shore-station  fishing 
is  done.  Operations  extend  as  far  west  as  Unimak  Island  and  as  far  south  as  Sannak  Island,  in  the  Sannak 
Group.  The  largest  plant  is  situated  on  Unga  Island,  and  last  summer,  upon  the  occasion  of  my  visit, 
was  entirely  filled  with  salted  cod,  about  60,000  in  number,  averaging  4  to  5  pounds  each,  dressed  weight. 
The  fishermen  are  mostly  resident  Scandinavians,  and  they  receive  $52.50  per  thousand  for  fish  over  26 
inches  long;  and  under  this  size  they  give  two  for  one.  They  appear  to  be  prosperous  and  happy,  and  that 
they  have  a  comfortable  living  is  evident.  Most  of  the  fishing  is  done  from  small  boats,  and  the  fish  are 
brought  to  the  shore  stations,  where  they  are  dressed  and  salted.  There  is  also  a  fleet  of  several  schooners 
engaged  in  the  cod  fishery  in  this  vicinity  and  in  Bering  Sea.  The  fish  are  cleaned  and  salted  down  in  the 
holds  as  soon  as  they  come  aboard  from  the  dories.  When  a  full  cargo  has  been  obtained,  the  vessels 
proceed  to  their  home  ports,  either  at  San  Francisco  or  on  Puget  Sound.  The  product  of  the  shore  stations 
is  likewise  taken  to  those  ports  by  transporting  vessels  engaged  solely  in  this  work.  Some  of  the  Alaska 
cod  shore  stations  are  in  operation  throughout  the  year.  The  method  of  curing  codfish  is  clean  and  whole- 
some, and  there  was  no  part  of  the  fishing  industry  that  pleased  me  more. 

HERRING  INDUSTRY. 

One  of  Alaska's  fisheries  resources  which  is  yet  not  fully  developed  is  the  herring  industry.  The  her- 
ring is  a  valuable  fish  found  in  nearly  all  the  waters  of  Alaska,  usually  in  large  schools,  some  of  which  cover 
several  square  miles  of  water.  At  the  present  time  the  Alaska  herring  is  not  used  much  for  food  purposes 
largely  because  the  salmon  industry  has  occupied  the  majority  of  the  fishermen  throughout  the  region. 
However,  in  the  last  year  or  so  there  has  been  a  tendency  to  recognize  the  real  value  of  the  herring.  That 
they  are  valuable  as  a  food  is  beyond  question,  and  future  years  will  prove  this  conclusively. 

A  reason  why  they  are  not  used  more  freely  for  food  during  certain  months  of  the  year,  during  the  sum- 
mer season,  is  because  of  the  discoloration  of  the  flesh  after  death,  due  to  the  decomposition  within  the 
alimentary  tract  of  a  small  red  crustacean  upon  which  the  fish  feed.  Because  of  this  objectionable  feature 
and  on  account  of  market  conditions,  very  few  have  cared  to  bother  with  them,  and  they  are  looked  upon 
during  these  months  as  useless  except  for  fertilizer  or  halibut  bait;  but  when  it  is  considered  that  Norway, 
whose  herring  industry  is  known  the  world  over,  has  met  with  this  same  obstacle  and  overcome  it  one  can 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


59 


HERRING   AND  THEIR   SPAWN.      NOTE  THAT  THE   EGGS  WERE   DEPOSITED   ON   BRANCHES  THAT 

HAD    FALLEN    INTO   THE   WATER. 


6o 


REPORT  OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


61 


PURSE- 


AUL  OF   HERRING. 


BRAILING    HERRING    FROM    A    PURSE  SEINE. 


HERRING   AND   OTHER   FISH   AT   KILLISNOO    REDUCTION   WORKS. 


62  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

see  that  it  can  likewise  be  overcome  in  Alaska.  The  method  used  is  simply  to  impound  the  fish  for  three 
or  four  days,  thus  permitting  them  to  digest  and  eliminate  this  so-called  "red  feed"  and  the  flesh  is  then 
as  clear  and  suitable  for  food  purposes  as  it  is  at  any  other  season  of  the  year.  To-day  there  is  an  enormous 
quantity  of  herring  used  for  halibut  bait;  in  fact,  thousands  of  barrels  are  put  up  each  year  for  this  pur- 
pose.    Salt  herring,  however,  are  not  as  suitable  for  bait  as  are  fresh  or  frozen  herring. 

It  is  hard  to  estimate  the  potential  value  of  the  herring  industry  from  its  present  undeveloped  condi- 
tion, but  it  is  safe  to  say  that  the  outlook  is  bright  and  that  this  undeveloped  business  will  be  worth  thou- 
sands of  dollars  each  year  to  Alaska.  Beyond  question,  herring  should  not  be  used  for  fertilizer,  oil,  or 
fish  meal.  The  present  practice  of  the  Indians  in  southeast  Alaska  of  taking  millions  of  herring  eggs  every 
season  and  drying  them  for  food  should  be  stopped  at  once,  for  this  not  only  means  partial  destruction  of 
the  future  supply  of  herring,  but  is  quite  needless,  since  these  Indians  have  many  other  ways  of  obtaining 

food. 

USE  OF  FOOD  FISH  FOR  FERTILIZER  AND  OIL. 

For  the  last  25  years  the  manufacture  of  fertilizer  and  oil  has  been  conducted  by  one  factory  located 
at  Killisnoo,  on  the  west  coast  of  Admiralty  Island.  This  industry  has  created  much  adverse  criticism 
because  of  the  general  claim  in  Alaska  that  an  edible  and  valuable  fish  like  the  herring  should  not  be  used 
except  for  food  and  bait  purposes.  It  has  been  stated  by  the  management  of  this  plant  that  the  business 
has  not  been  a  financial  success,  but  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  any  factory  that  has  operated  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century  must  be  a  paying  proposition,  otherwise  it  would  not  remain  active.  The  manager  of  this 
plant  emphasized  the  fact  that  they  use  almost  nothing  but  herring,  the  only  exception  being  an  occasional 
straggler  of  other  species.  This,  however,  must  have  been  a  mistake,  for  I  not  only  heard  that  all  fish 
irrespective  of  species  caught  in  the  seines  were  used,  but  one  evening  last  summer  when  a  boatload  of 
fish  of  about  125  tons,  representing  875,000  herring,  or  approximately  1,250  barrels  of  700  fish  each,  were 
being  discharged  into  a  large  storage  bin  at  the  plant  I  observed  that  while  most  of  them  were  herring 
there  were  also  numbers  of  cod,  a  few  halibut,  and  some  flounders  scattered  all  through  the  cargo.  I 
called  the  attention  of  the  manager  to  this  condition,  and  was  assured  that  these  other  varieties  of  fish  had 
not  been  with  the  herring  before,  and  therefore  had  not  been  utilized.  A  number  of  the  employees, 
however,  assured  me  that  in  every  boatload  there  were  fish  other  than  herring. 

While  this  factory  is  now  the  single  and  isolated  case,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  should  not  be  allowed  to 
continue  operations,  but  should  be  permanently  closed  by  the  Government.  The  further  operation  of 
this  plant  not  only  sets  a  bad  example,  but  it  destroys  many  thousands  of  good  salable  fish  and  opens  the 
way  for  the  establishment  of  other  such  reduction  plants.  In  fact,  just  now  there  is  a  large  company 
anticipating  the  same  use  of  herring,  and  they  are  only  waiting  to  see  if  the  Government  disapproves  the 
continuation  of  the  Killisnoo  plant.  Up  to  this  year  the  Killisnoo  factory  has  manufactured  fertilizer 
and  oil  only.  It  has  now  partially  discontinued  the  manufacture  of  fertilizer  and  is  making  instead  a  form 
of  meal  which  is  utilized  chiefly  for  poultry  food. 

WHALING  INDUSTRY. 

The  whaling  industry  in  Alaska  is  confined  to  two  shore  stations  and  to  intermittent  and  now  unim- 
portant efforts  of  old-time  vessels  operating  on  the  high  seas.  In  the  latter  phase  of  the  whale  fishery 
only  the  oil  and  whalebone  of  commerce  are  used,  thus  meaning  that  the  carcass  of  each  whale  is  wasted. 
At  the  shore  stations,  however,  nothing  is  wasted,  as  every  part  of  the  whale  is  utilized,  the  products  includ- 
ing various  grades  of  oil,  as  well  as  fertilizer  and  animal  meal.  The  whales  handled  include  humpbacks, 
finbacks,  sulphur  bottoms,  and  sperms.  The  sperms  are  less  numerous  than  the  others,  but  they  are 
the  most  valuable.  A  good-sized  sperm  whale  is  worth  about  $3,000,  consequently  it  is  a  prize  for  any 
crew  and  is  hunted  assiduously. 

One  of  the  Alaska  shore  stations  is  at  Akutan,  near  Unimak  Pass,  and  the  other  is  at  Port  Armstrong, 
on  Baranof  Island,  in  southeast  Alaska.  These  stations  are  modern  and  complete  in  every  respect,  and 
appear  to  be  well  conducted.  The  whales  are  killed  by  means  of  small  steamers  having  a  muzzle-loading 
gun    mounted    at   the   bow. 

There  has  been  much  talk  of  a  close  season  on  whales.  At  the  best,  whaling  stations  can  be  operated 
only  during  four  or  five  months  of  the  year.     Throughout  the  remainder  of  the  year  the  boats  are  tied 


REPORT  OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


63 


ALASKA  WHALING   VESSEL  OPERATING   FROM   A  SHORE  STATION.      HARPOON   GUN    IS  SHOWN 

AT   BOW. 


SHOOTING    A    WHALE.      LINE   WITH    HARPOON    ATTACHED    MAY    BE   SEEN    AT    RIGHT   OF    PICTURE 


64 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


SHORE   WHALING   STATION    IN   SOUTHEAST   ALASKA. 


FINBACK   WHALE  JUST   KILLED,   WESTERN   ALASKA. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


65 


REMOVING    BLUBBER    FROM    A    FINBACK   WHALE. 


CARCASS   OF    LARGE   SPERM    WHALE.   WITH    BLUBBER    REMOVED. 


74025—15 5 


66  REPORT   OF   ALASKA    INVESTIGATIONS. 

up  and  the  stations  are  closed;  and  even  during  the  active  period  there  are  many  days  when,  because  of 
bad  weather,  it  is  useless  to  go  out,  as  it  is  impossible  to  shoot  a  whale  when  the  sea  is  rough.  This  in 
itself  acts  as  an  automatic  close  season.  At  the  present  it  does  not  seem  that  any  legislation  in  the  way 
of  a  close  season  on  whales  is  necessary.  v 

There  has  been  much  discussion  concerning  the  effect  the  killing  of  whales  might  have  on  the  supply 
of  herring  and  salmon.  But  there  is  no  reason  for  believing  that  the  presence  of  whales  has  any  impor- 
tant influence  upon  the  run  of  fish  Whales  subsist  largely  upon  small  crustaceans  and  other  animal  life 
found  in  the  water,  and  while  they  may  occasionally  steal  upon  a  school  of  salmon  or  herring  with  the 
result  of  driving  them  closer  inshore,  the  total  effect  of  such  activities  on  the  part  of  the  whales  is  in  all 

probability  small. 

TROUT. 

In  addition  to  the  five  species  of  salmon,  there  are  several  varieties  of  trout  found  in  Alaska,  among 
which  are  the  Dolly  Varden,  steelhead,  rainbow,  and  cutthroat.  All  these  are  excellent  food  fishes,  and  the 
Dolly  Varden  and  steelhead  are  at  present  utilized  to  a  considerable  extent  for  commercial  purposes. 
There  is,  however,  a  decided  prejudice  against  them,  amounting  in  places  to  a  desire  for  their  extermina- 
tion, owing  to  their  destructive  habit  of  preying  upon  the  eggs  and  fry  of  the  salmon.  In  some  sections 
drastic  steps  are  being  taken  to  destroy  them.  Until  more  definite  information  is  at  hand  in  regard  to 
the  amount  of  damage  caused  by  these  fish,  activities  in  respect  to  them  should  take  the  form  of  utiliza- 
tion for  economic  purposes  rather  than  destroying  them. 

The  value  of  the  Dolly  Varden  trout  for  food  purposes  has  already  been  established,  but  it  would 
hardly  seem  that  the  possibilities  of  its  future  have  been  realized.  This  fish  is  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
the  equal  of  our  eastern  brook  trout,  which  brings  a  price  of  from  50  cents  to  $1  a  pound.  With  this 
thought  in  mind,  it  would  seem  that  the  Alaska  Dolly  Varden  can  be  shipped  in  cold  storage  to  markets  in 
the  east.  Last  winter  one  fisherman  of  southeast  Alaska  made  a  shipment  of  Dolly  Vardens  in  cold  storage 
to  Seattle  and  netted  $500  on  the  venture.  It  was  not  long  ago  that  some  of  the  Pacific  Coast  States 
forbade  the  sale  of  this  fish,  which  prevented  their  being  brought  in  from  Alaska;  but  since  then  the  law 
has  been  properly  interpreted  and  there  is  nothing  to  hinder  the  broadening  and  building  up  of  this  part 
of  the  industry.  It  is  strongly  advocated  that  this  work  be  encouraged,  instead  of  allowing  the  destruction 
and  total  waste  of  this  valuable  fish. 

The  canning  of  Dolly  Varden  trout,  which  is  the  most  abundant  of  the  trouts  in  Alaska,  should  be 
encouraged.  Several  thousand  cases  of  them  have  already  been  packed  within  the  last  two  or  three  years, 
principally  on  Kotzebue  Sound,  and  they  have  found  a  ready  market.  The  steelhead  is  highly  prized  for 
freezing  purposes  at  the  cold-storage  plants  in  Alaska,  but,  unfortunately,  the  number  of  them  obtained 
is  comparatively  small. 

TAXATION. 

The  question  of  taxation  is  of  vital  importance  to  those  engaged  in  the  fishing  industry,  and  while 
undoubtedly  the  present  rates  should  be  changed,  any  radical  revision  would  be  unfair  and  unwise.  ]  The 
present  rate  on  canned  salmon,  all  kinds,  is  4  cents  per  case;  on  mild-cured  salmon,  40  cents  per  tierce; 
on  salt  salmon  in  bulk,  5  cents  per  100  pounds;  on  pickled  salmon,  10  cents  per  barrel;  fish  oil,  10  cents  per 
barrel;  and  fertilizer,  20  cents  per  ton.  These  rates  seem  too  low,  but  I  do  not  agree  with  the  agitation 
for  an  extremely  high  tariff  on  such  products,  for  the  price  usually  received  does  not  warrant  it.  A  just 
and  fair  revision  of  this  scale  is  submitted  as  follows:  On  canned  salmon,  king  or  spring,  and  sockeye  or 
red,  8  cents  per  case;  humpback  or  pink,  and  coho  or  silver,  6  cents  per  case;  chum  or  dog,  4  cents  per 
case;  mild-cured  salmon,  $1  per  tierce;  salt  salmon  in  bulk,  10  cents  per  100  pounds;  pickled  salmon,  20 
cents  per  barrel;  salmon  bellies,  $1  per  barrel;  whale  oil,  20  cents  per  barrel;  whalebone  meal,  40  cents  per 
ton;  whale  fertilizer,  50  cents  per  ton;  whale  meal,  75  cents  per  ton.  The  propriety  of  revising  the  scale 
of  taxation  upon  canned  salmon  is  readily  apparent  when  cognizance  is  taken  of  the  varying  values  of  the 
several  kinds  of  salmon.  There  may  be  some  objection  to  the  seemingly  high  tax  suggested  for  salmon 
bellies,  but  when  it  is  considered  that  it  takes  about  200  fish  to  make  one  barrel  of  bellies,  the  tax  suggested 
is  not  exorbitant. 

It  will  be  noted  that  no  mention  is  made  of  a  tax  on  oil  or  fertilizer  manufactured  from  fish.  This 
is  because  it  is  important  that  any  industry  using  food  fish  for  that  purpose  should  be  restrained  from 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


67 


DOLLY    VARDEN    TROUT    FROM    STIKINE    RIVER,    WEIGHT 
9   POUNDS  1    OUNCE. 


A   SEINE   HAUL  OF   DOLLY   VARDEN   TROUT   IN    KARLUK   RIVER. 


68  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

such  action,  and  there  would  thus  be  no  further  necessity  for  a  tax  on  this  article.  But  as  fertilizer  will 
no  doubt  be  made  from  the  offal  of  canneries,  there  might  be  some  question  as  to  the  advisability  of  a 
small  tax  on  this  article.  The  margin  of  profit  must  be  small  in  gathering  offal  from  the  canneries,  and 
therefore  I  would  not  advocate  any  tax  at  present  on  the  commodities  manufactured  from  this  material. 
The  new  scale  of  taxes  suggested  for  whale  products  is  proper  and  just. 

After  mature  consideration  of  the  question  of  a  tax  on  cod  and  halibut,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  such  a  tax  is  unwise,  for  the  reason  that  it  would  handicap  American  fishermen  in  competition  with 
Canadian  or  other  foreign  vessels.  It  must  be  remembered  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  cod  and  halibut 
taken  from  the  fishery  banks  off  the  coast  of  Alaska  are  caught  on  the  high  seas  beyond  the  3-mile  limit. 

COLLECTION   AND   USE   OF   TAXES. 

The  present  system  of  collecting  the  tax  on  mild-cured  salmon  is  very  poor,  and  many  tierces  reach 
the  States  without  paying  any  tax.  This  is  due  to  evasive  tactics  upon  the  part  of  some  of  those  engaged 
in  the  industry.  At  the  present  time  the  troller  who  mild-cures  on  his  power  boat  brings  several  tierces 
to  town  and  disposes  of  them  to  a  mild-curing  establishment.  He  may  leave  soon  and  neglect  to  pay  the 
tax.  The  man  who  buys  them  says  he  did  not  cure  or  preserve  this  particular  lot  of  salmon  and  therefore 
is  not  responsible  for  payment  of  the  tax.  It  is  easy  to  remedy  this  situation  by  holding  the  shippers 
responsible  for  all  tierces  they  handle,  and  the  customs  officers  should  not  permit  shipment  until  all  taxes 
have  been  paid.  In  this  connection,  it  is  suggested  that  some  distinctive  mark  be  placed  on  every  tierce 
as  soon  as  the  tax  is  collected.  It  is  fair  to  assume  that  almost  half  of  the  tierces  of  salmon  heretofore 
packed  in  Alaska  have  come  out  tax  free. 

In  order  to  insure  the  collection  of  all  taxes  on  various  fisheries  products  now  exported  from  Alaska, 
it  might  be  well  for  the  collector  of  customs  to  refuse  the  issuance  of  clearance  manifests  until  advised  by 
the  clerk  of  the  court  or  other  official  charged  with  the  collection  of  such  taxes  that  the  prescribed  fees 
have  been  paid. 

One  other  thing  in  connection  with  the  taxes  collected  from  the  fishing  industry  is  that  it  seems  unfair 
and  unbusinesslike  that  no  part  of  this  money  is  utilized  for  the  protection  and  propagation  of  salmon 
or  other  food  fishes.  I  would  earnestly  recommend  that  30  per  cent  of  all  taxes  collected  in  the  future 
on  the  fishing  industry  be  applied  to  the  protection  and  extension  of  the  fishing  interests  of  Alaska. 

LICENSE  TAX  ON  GEAR. 

That  all  fishing  gear  in  Alaska  should  have  a  license  tax  levied  on  it  is  just  and  essential.  The  following 
scale  is  suggested:  On  traps,  $100  per  annum;  purse  seines,  $75  per  annum;  haul  seines,  $50  per  annum; 
gill  nets  in  Bristol  Bay,  $3  per  annum;  in  all  other  localities,  $2  per  annum.  It  is  further  urgently  recom- 
mended that  every  piece  of  apparatus  on  which  the  license  tax  has  been  paid  shall  be  branded,  showing 
the  license  number.  It  is  further  recommended  that  30  per  cent  of  the  income  from  this  source  of  taxation 
shall  revert  to  the  propagation  of  fish  and  the  protection  of  the  fishing  industry. 

DISTRICTS  FOR  PATROL  SYSTEM. 

A  uniform  and  well-established  system  of  patrol  throughout  Alaska  is  one  of  the  most  essential  matters 
pertaining  to  the  maintenance  of  the  fisheries  industries  and  the  enforcement  of  the  laws  pertaining  to 
salmon  and  other  fish.  Adequate  protection  along  similar  lines  should  also  be  afforded  the  fur-bearing 
animals.  After  much  thought  and  consideration,  taking  into  account  the  enormous  territory  that  has 
to  be  covered  in  order  to  patrol  approximately  600,000  square  miles,  I  am  convinced  that  the  only  feasible 
way  of  doing  this  work  properly  and  systematically  is  to  divide  Alaska  into  five  districts,  as  follows: 

District  No.  1. — From  Dixon  Entrance  to  Yakutat,  with  headquarters  at  Wrangell.  This  district 
requires  the  greatest  amount  of  vigilance  throughout  the  year,  and  should  have  a  chief  warden  at  a  salary 
of  $2,000,  an  assistant  chief  warden  at  $1,500,  and  eight  wardens  at  $1,000  each. 

District  No.  2. — West  from  Yakutat  to  and  including  Cook  Inlet,  and  north  to  62 °  north  latitude, 
with  headquarters  at  Cordova.  This  territory  includes  the  fishing  in  Prince  William  Sound,  Copper  River 
delta,  and  the  great  fishing  district  of  Cook  Inlet.  There  should  be  a  chief  warden  at  $2,000  and  four 
wardens  at  $1,000  each. 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


69 


District  No.  3. — From  Afognak  Island  west  to  Unimak  Island,  including  the  southern  coast  line  of  the 
Alaska  Peninsula,  the  Semidi,  Shumagin,  and  Sannak  Groups  of  Islands,  also  Kodiak  and  Afognak  Islands, 
with  headquarters  at  Kodiak.  This  is  a  section  that  needs  work  the  year  round  and  is  a  territory  difficult 
to  cover.     There  should  be  a  chief  warden  at  $2,00^  and  three  wardens  at  $1,000  each. 

District  No.  4. — To  include  the  waters  and  territory  north  of  the  Alaska  Peninsula  and  Bristol  Bay, 
to  620  north  latitude,  and  west  from  Unimak,  including  all  the  Aleutian  Reservation,  with  headquarters 
at  Unalaska,  or,  preferably,  Dutch  Harbor.  There  should  be  a  chief  warden  at  $2,000  and  three  wardens 
at  $1,000  each. 

District  No.  5. — To  embrace  all  waters  and  territory  north  of  620  north  latitude,  which  includes  the 
Yukon  River  and  tributaries;  headquarters  to  be  at  Fairbanks.  There  should  be  a  chief  warden  at  $2,000 
and  three  wardens  at  $1 ,000  each. 


Five  proposed  districts  for  administering  fisheries  and  fur-bearing 'animal  affairs  of  Alaska. 

The  duties  of  these  men  would  be  many  and  diverse.  During  the  salmon  season,  which  varies  in 
different  sections  and  lasts  from  three  to  six  months,  their  time  would  be  well  taken  up  with  this  work. 
At  other  periods  of  the  year  some  of  them  could  assist  at  hatcheries  during  certain  busy  seasons.  Also, 
the  fur-bearing  animals,  as  well  as  the  codfish,  the  herring,  and  the  halibut  industries,  are  to  be  looked 
after  the  year  around.  At  the  present  time,  outside  of  our  meager  work  in  southeastern  Alaska,  practically 
the  rest  of  the  vast  territory  has  been  abandoned  so  far  as  inspection  work  is  concerned.  It  is  ridiculous 
to  assume  that  any  one  man  can  properly  take  care  of  5,000  miles  of  coast  line  or  patrol  a  territory  of 
100,000  square  miles,  as  is  expected  with  our  present  staff.  The  territory  is  entirely  too  large  for  interlocking 
the  various  divisions,  and  each  chief  warden  should  work  with  his  men  independent  of  the  other  districts 
and  send  reports  direct  to  headquarters. 


70  REPORT   OF  ALASKA    INVESTIGATIONS. 

VESSELS. 

A  fundamental  necessity  in  the  protection  of  the  fisheries  of  coastal  waters  is  a  fleet  of  vessels  of  a  type 
fitted  for  the  requirements  of  the  region  concerned  and  numerically  proportionate  to  the  extent  of  the  waters 
to  be  covered.  Alaska  has  the  enormous  coast  line  cV  approximately  26,000  miles  and  produces  fisheries 
products  each  year  valued  at  nearly  $20,000,000,  yet  in  the  all-important  matter  of  patrol  vessels  for 
Alaska  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  has  only  the  pitifully  inadequate  service  of  a  single  small  steamer.  This 
vessel,  the  Osprey,  is  only  72  feet  long  and  of  40  tons  measurement,  and  it  is  unseaworthy,  topheavy,  and 
quite  unsuited  to  the  needs  of  the  service. 

In  reference  to  the  unseaworthiness  of  the  Osprey,  I  feel  well  qualified  to  pass  judgment,  for  in  my 
investigations  and  research  this  season  I  lived  aboard  her  for  60  days  and  found  conditions  far  from 
satisfactory.  Her  freeboard  amidships  is  just  12  inches.  From  the  deck  to  the  top  of  the  pilot  house  the 
distance  is  over  14  feet,  and  with  the  greater  part  of  her  machinery  above  the  water  line  the  vessel  is  so 
topheavy  that  a  good  breeze  renders  it  dangerous  to  leave  the  dock.  In  an  unusual  blow  last  fall,  the 
Osprey  without  warning  turned  completely  on  her  side,  lying  flat  on  the  water  long  enough  for  the  engine 
room  to  be  flooded.  The  officers  and  crew  were  penned  up  in  this  treacherous  boat,  and  only  by  an  act 
of  Providence  did  a  counter  flurry  right  her  in  the  next  few  seconds. 

This  is  the  vessel  that  is  offered  to  our  men  to  patrol  26,000  miles  of  coast  line  in  boisterous  seas 
to  protect  the  great  fishing  industry  of  Alaska.  The  decks,  pilot  house,  and  many  of  the  beams  are  rotten, 
and  the  boat  must  be  handled  with  unusual  care.  The  boiler  is  also  defective,  having  been  installed  19 
years  ago,  when  the  boat  was  built. 

However,  I  talked  with  men  of  experience  who  are  familiar  with  vessels  and  their  construction,  and 
all  admit  that  her  hull  is  strong  and  sound  and  agree  that  this  boat  if  properly  refitted  and  provided  with 
more  efficient  machinery  would  prove  suitable  for  certain  requirements  of  the  Alaska  patrol  service.  At 
the  present  time  the  Osprey  is  expensive  to  operate.  With  coal  at  $8.50  a  ton,  she  costs  $17  for  every  hun- 
dred miles  covered  and  can  maintain  a  speed  of  only  8  knots.  By  way  of  comparison,  let  me  cite  the 
following  case:  The  Osprey,  after  she  had  been  purchased  in  191 2,  left  Blaine,  Wash.,  and  on  the  trip  to 
Ketchikan,  a  distance  of  600  miles,  burned  about  $90  worth  of  coal.  The  Warrior,  a  vessel  similar  to  the 
Osprey  as  to  size,  but  equipped  with  a  Diesel  type  of  engine,  made  the  trip  from  Seattle  to  Ketchikan,  a 
distance  of  690  miles,  in  less  time  and  at  a  total  cost  of  only  $10.50  for  fuel,  or  about  one-tenth  of  that  required 
for  the  Osprey.  This  is  a  strong  argument  for  taking  out  the  Osprey' 's  steam  plant  and  installing  a  suitable 
type  of  gas  engine,  the  estimated  cost  of  which  is  $12,000.  This  will  make  the  boat  safe  and  of  some  value 
to  the  Government,  and  at  the  same  time  will  effect  a  saving  on  fuel  of  about  $1 5  per  hundred  miles,  the 
latter  figure  being  based  on  the  average  cost  of  coal  in  southeast  Alaska. 

The  Osprey  has  been  used  only  part  of  the  time  during  the  last  two  years  in  southeastern  Alaska, 
due  primarily  to  two  reasons — first,  lack  of  appropriations;  and  second,  because  she  is  unseaworthy  and 
many  days  unable  to  leave  her  dock. 

NEW  VESSELS  REQUIRED. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have  more  boats  and  funds  to  carry  out  the  instructions  of  Congress 
in  regard  to  the  enforcement  of  the  fishery  laws  of  Alaska.  Without  more  vessels  and  men  it  is  almost 
as  useless  to  make  laws  to  protect  this  great  fishing  industry,  worth  nearly  $20,000,000  per  annum,  as 
it  would  be  to  lay  200  miles  of  railroad  track  in  Alaska  and  then  not  furnish  the  money  to  buy  a  single 
car  or  locomotive  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  for  whom  the  railroad  was  built. 

In  order  to  conduct  properly  the  patrol  work  in  southeastern  Alaska  there  should  be  the  following: 
In  the  first  district,  a  large  vessel  of  about  100  tons  and  four  fast  patrol  boats,  the  former  to  cost  in  the 
neighborhood  of  $30,000  and  the  latter  about  $9,000  each;  in  the  second  district,  two  patrol  boats  costing 
$10,000  each;  in  the  third  district,  one  vessel  costing  $20,000  and  one  patrol  boat  costing  $10,000;  in  the 
fourth  district,  a  vessel  costing  $20,000;  and  in  the  fifth  district,  one  patrol  boat  costing  $20,000.  The 
present  method  of  chartering  patrol  boats  is  expensive  and  impracticable,  and  fails  to  accomplish  the 
purpose  sought.  They  almost  invariably  lack  speed,  which  is  one  of  the  essentials  in  detecting  violations 
of  the  fishery  laws.  The  quarters  on  chartered  boats  are  unsuitable,  and  our  men  are  poorly  housed  and 
do  not  have  the  accommodations  or  consideration  they  deserve  in  performing  such  arduous  and  impor- 
tant work. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


7' 


■-IJT^ 


nm"F 


33555333 


U.  S.  FISHERIES  STEAMER  "OSPREY,"   AT  ZAREMBO    ISLAND. 


■^■K^A^VI                                        Ha  m 

^ta..^ 

1  w~"                  ■        *  , 

RSi^  '  1 4^^HH 

^^^m^^^- 

U.   S.    FISHERIES   STEAMER  "ALBATROSS,"   AT   RESURRECTION    BAY. 


72  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

The  waters  to-day  in  western  Alaska,  including  the  fishing  districts  of  Prince  William  Sound,  Cook 
Inlet,  Kodiak  Island,  Bristol  Bay,  and  around  the  shores  of  the  Alaska  Peninsula,  together  with  the  Shu- 
magin,  Semidi,  and  Sannak  Islands,  are  practically  without  any  protection,  and  fishermen  operate  in  any 
way  they  care  to,  without,  I  may  say,  even  the  slightest  semblance  of  investigation  or  restriction.  This  is 
entirely  due  to  the  fact  that  there  are  no  Government  vessels  to  look  after  these  vast  and  important  fields. 
We  have  one  man  stationed  at  Afognak  Island,  not  only  an  isolated  place,  but  with  the  waters  surrounding 
it  and  Kodiak  Island  treacherous  and  dangerous  a  greater  part  of  the  time,  and  all  we  have  available  for 
his  use  is  an  1 8-foot  skiff.  In  this  he  is  supposed  to  investigate  fishery  violations  and  follow  fast-moving 
tugs  and  fishing  boats.  As  a  result,  this  Government  official  has  been  forced  to  jeopardize  his  life  by  going 
out  in  this  skiff,  or  resort  to  the  unfortunate  and  inexcusable  practice  of  asking  a  cannery  to  furnish  passage 
on  a  boat  so  that  he  may  investigate  the  company's  own  fishery  operations.  This  is  the  only  safe  means 
he  has  of  getting  there.  The  necessity  of  such  a  practice  is  ludicrous  and  absurd  in  the  performance  of 
official  inspection  work. 

To  cite  one  instance  which  reflects  discredit  on  the  Government:  One  of  our  chief  officials  in  Alaska 
requested  that  a  cannery  tug  take  him  to  a  certain  fishing  ground  so  that  he  might  see  if  the  law  was  being 
violated.  The  company's  superintendent  readily  acquiesced,  and  when  he  was  nearing  the  fishing  grounds 
blew  five  long  blasts.  The  Government  official  naturally  inquired  why  this  was  done,  and  the  answer 
came  back:  "I  am  very  sorry,  but  my  instructions  from  the  boss  are  to  warn  all  the  fishermen  by  five 
whistles  when  any  of  our  boats  are  carrying  a  United  States  fisheries  official."  In  other  words,  they  were  in 
the  habit  of  violating  the  law  and  this  was  a  warning  that  they  must  desist  for  the  time  being.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  when  the  official  went  ashore  the  plant  was  all  in  order  and  everybody  was  attending 
to  his  duty  in  the  proper  way. 

This  explains  the  whole  situation  in  a  very  few  words,  and  it  is  earnestly  hoped  that  it  will  not  be 
necessary  for  this  practice  to  continue.  Could  there  be  a  more  unfortunate  condition,  and  can  we  expect 
any  better  results  from  the  meager  facilities  we  now  have  ?  All  through  this  section,  and  farther  beyond,  the 
salmon  fishing,  the  halibut  fishing,  and  the  partly  developed  codfish  operations  need  investigating  and 
looking  after  the  greater  part  of  the  year.  The  Aleutian  Reservation,  1,000  miles  long,  has  never  had  her 
fisheries  investigated,  and  yet  there  are  certain  conditions  that  should  be  changed  and  looked  into  without 
delay.  This  can  be  done  only  if  there  is  a  boat  stationed  there  the  year  round.  Bristol  Bay,  one  of  the 
greatest  salmon  sections  in  Alaska,  where  two  months  of  the  year  the  water  is  teeming  with  the  valuable 
red  salmon,  can  be  covered  only  by  accepting  the  courtesy  of  boats  belonging  to  the  canneries  our  men  are 
sent  to  inspect.  With  the  development  and  expansion  of  the  industry,  it  is  only  a  question  of  time  when 
Kotzebue  Sound  and  the  adjacent  region  will  be  invaded  by  canneries.  To-day  there  is  but  one  in  that 
section,  but  to-morrow  there  will  be  more,  and  we  need  to  be  there. 

PAY   OF   OFFICERS   AND   CREW. 

The  question  of  the  pay  of  the  officers  and  crews  on  the  vessels  in  our  service  is  a  very  important 
matter.  Having  at  present  only  one  vessel  in  our  Alaska  service,  I  can  cite  only  one  case,  but  it  is  enough 
to  illustrate  the  condition  as  it  now  exists.  To-day  the  captain  of  the  Osprey  is  paid  $125  a  month,  the 
chief  engineer  receives  $91.66,  the  firemen  $60  each,  a  seaman  $50  a  month,  and  the  cook  $50,  each  having 
to  pay  his  own  board.  I  took  this  question  into  consideration  for  two  reasons — first,  because  of  the  com- 
plaints I  have  heard  in  Washington  ever  since  I  have  been  connected  with  this  Bureau;  and,  second, 
because  there  was  continual  trouble  in  securing  a  crew  during  the  two  months  I  was  on  the  Osprey.  The 
captain  and  the  engineer,  men  of  knowledge  and  judgment,  have  felt  that  the  Government  will  see  this 
situation  in  the  proper  light  before  long,  and  they  therefore  made  no  general  complaint  to  me  that  they 
were  underpaid.  I  consulted  owners  of  boats,  both  larger  and  smaller  than  the  Osprey,  and  found  that  the 
following  scale  of  wages  prevailed  on  about  all  vessels  of  from  30  to  100  tons  in  Alaska:  Captain,  $125 
to  $150  a  month;  mate,  $100  to  $125;  chief  engineer,  $90  to  $125;  assistant  engineer,  $75  to  $100;  firemen, 
$60  to  $75;  seamen,  $60  to  $70  each;  and  the  cook,  $65  to  $100,  all  wages  including  board.  The  officers 
of  the  Osprey  to-day  are  men  of  integrity  and  ability,  and  they  afforded  me  valuable  help  in  carrying  on 
my  investigations.  The  Government  can  ill  afford  to  lose  these  men,  and  with  more  lucrative  positions 
offered  them  it  is  a  wonder  that  the  Government  has  been  able  to  retain  their  services  as  long  as  it  has. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


73 


DECK    LOAD    OF   COAL  ON    FORWARD    DECK   OF   "ALBATROSS. 


COAL    IN    GANGWAY   ON    DECK   OF   "ALBATROSS." 


74  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

ALBATROSS. 

There  is  an  important  matter  regarding  the  Albatross,  the  largest  vessel  engaged  in  general  deep-sea 
fisheries  work  for  the  Government,  that  I  want  to  mention.  This  is  in  regard  to  converting  the  vessel  to 
an  oil  burner.  ' 

I  was  on  the  Albatross  for  nearly  two  months  this  season  and  had  ample  opportunity  to  study  her 
myself  and  to  listen  to  the  discussions  of  others  who  knew  her  better  than  I  did  from  the  point  of  experi- 
ence and  actual  contact  with  conditions.  This  vessel,  while  rather  old,  has  a  hull  which  is  in  splendid 
condition  and  good  for  many  years.  The  fact,  however,  that  the  Albatross  is  a  coal  burner  makes  her 
expensive  to  operate  and  lessens  her  efficiency,  particularly  on  account  of  a  reduced  steaming  radius.  On 
an  average  day's  run  at  8  knots  an  hour,  the  fuel  consumption  is  now  about  12  tons  of  coal,  which,  based 
on  prices  in  western  Alaska,  costs  about  $144.  If  the  vessel  were  converted  into  an  oil  burner,  at  a  cost 
of  about  $26,000,  she  would  save  nearly  $2,500  in  one  month  for  fuel  alone,  or  approximately  $15,000  in  a 
year,  based  on  six  months'  cruising.  The  present  limited  coal-carrying  capacity  is  such  that  for  a  trip  of 
any  distance  a  heavy  deckload  of  coal  must  be  carried.  Outside  of  the  mere  fact  that  it  makes  everything 
dirty  and  unsightly,  it  is  an  extremely  dangerous  situation,  for  if  the  vessel  ever  met  with  heavy  weather 
in  this  condition  there  would  be  danger  of  the  upper  works  being  stove  in,  the  ultimate  result  of  which 
might  be  to  cause  the  ship  to  founder.     The  installation  of  oil-burning  equipment  would  do  away  with  the 

chance  for  any  such  disaster. 

HATCHERY  WORK. 

Hatchery  work  in  Alaska,  both  private  and  Government,  deserves  the  utmost  consideration.  There 
are  five  private  hatcheries  in  the  Territory — one  on  Karluk  River,  Kodiak  Island,  owned  by  the  Alaska 
Packers  Association;  one  on  Heckman  Lake,  Revillagigedo  Island,  southeastern  Alaska,  owned  by  the 
Alaska  Packers  Association;  one  on  Hetta  Lake,  near  the  southern  end  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  owned 
by  the  Northwestern  Fisheries  Co. ;  one  near  Boca  de  Quadra,  at  the  head  of  Smith  Lake,  on  Buschmann 
Creek,  in  southeastern  Alaska,  also  owned  by  the  Northwestern  Fisheries  Co. ;  and  one  at  Klawak,  on  the 
west  coast  of  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  owned  jointly  by  the  North  Pacific  Trading  &  Packing  Co.  and  the 
North  Alaska  Salmon  Co. 

These  private  hatcheries  have  for  the  past  10  years  produced  annually  an  average  of  98,000,000  sockeye 
or  red-salmon  fry,  and  since  the  passage  of  the  act  of  June  26,  1906,  have  received  from  the  Government  a 
rebate  therefor  on  their  fishery  tax  at  the  rate  of  40  cents  for  every  thousand  red  or  king  salmon  fry  liberated, 
which  rate  is  the  equivalent  of  the  tax  on  10  cases  of  salmon.  The  question  of  whether  or  not  the  future 
supply  of  this  variety  of  salmon  has  been  benefited  is  hardly  the  point  to  be  considered  to-day.  The  fact 
remains  that  the  Government  is  granting  a  rebate  that  should  be  discontinued  without  delav.  The  United 
States  Bureau  of  Fisheries  is  doing  excellent  work  in  Alaska,  and  it  is  good  business  to  presume  that  the 
practice  of  paying  private  concerns  to  carry  on  this  part  of  what  is  really  the  Government's  business  should 
cease  at  once,  and  in  the  future  all  such  operations  should  be  conducted  by  the  Government  through  the 
proper  department.  The  obligation  that  the  Government  must  assume  when  it  repeals  the  present  law 
prohibiting  further  buying  of  fry  or  rebating  in  connection  with  the  salmon  canneries  is  an  open  question. 

In  connection  with  the  recommendation  that  the  law  allowing  rebates  on  private  hatchery  output  be 
repealed  at  once,  I  would  also  suggest  that  the  five  private  hatcheries  in  Alaska  be  looked  over  carefully 
this  coming  year  by  a  board  of  three  from  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  to  determine  whether  their  operation 
under  Government  ownership  should  be  considered. 

PRIVATE   HATCHERIES. 

The  Karluk  hatchery  has  been  operated  for  19  years.  It  is  situated  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Karluk  River.  The  buildings  are  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation.  The  interior  and  working 
part  of  the  plant  is  also  in  fair  order,  but  it  is  evident  that  the  location  is  very  undesirable.  Under  present 
conditions,  it  is  necessary  to  deposit  the  fry  in  salt  water,  which  is  objectionable  and  can  not  possibly 
produce  the  desired  results.     The  capacity  of  this  hatchery  is  about  50,000,000  salmon  eggs. 

The  Heckman  Lake  hatchery,  commonly  known  as  the  Loring  or  Fortmann  hatchery,  has  inexpensive 
buildings,  but  they  are  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation.  This  place  is  8  miles  from  navigable  water,  and 
it  is  rather  inaccessible,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  it  may  be  reached  only  by  crossing  a  lagoon,  two  portages, 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


75 


t 

^^    ^M^ta 

■'^TSrff* 

. 

™s 

f1^ ^^HHP*Piii 

-            m 

/                                 ^jS^BK' 

E  -"^ ;     "S 

^1 

' 

S^5Sg«S.                   ^^F^^SwlS^^giCjZ^SSB 

YES   BAY   HATCHERY   BUILDINGS. 


INTAKE   OF  WATER-SUPPLY   FLUME   AT   YES   BAY   HATCHERY. 


76 


REPORT  OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


TRAMWAY    FROM    YES    BAY   TO    LAKE    McDONALD. 


MAIN    HATCHERY    BUILDING    AND    RETAINING    RACK,    YES   BAY   STATION. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


77 


TRAMWAY  LEADING  FROM   SALT  WATER  TO  AFOGNAK   HATCHERY,  SHOWING  ALSO  LITNIK  RIVER. 


AFOGNAK   HATCHERY,  WITH   SAWMILL  AT  EDGE  OF  WATER. 


78 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


and  two  lakes.  For  this  reason  it  is  objectionable  on  account  of  the  difficulty  experienced  in  the  trans- 
portation of  supplies.  However,  with  the  possibility  of  broadening  the  work,  and  with  a  splendid  water 
supply  at  hand,  it  deserves  careful  consideration.  This  hatchery  is  the  largest  in  the  world  for  the  propa- 
gation of  salmon,  having  a  capacity  of  110,000,000  eggs.     It  has  several  good  rearing  ponds. 

The  Hetta  Lake  hatchery  has  carried  on  its  work  in  a  small  way.     With  better  protection  of  the 
stream  where  the  adult  salmon  enter  the  lake,  egg  collections  can  be  improved,  and  it  seems  likely  that 


/T//9A      /7rrr7 


&CCa? 


'Of>$ 


Sketch  of  Boca  de  Quadra  hatchery  and  vicinity. 

profitable  fish-cultural  operations  can  be  conducted  at  this  plant.  The  hatchery  was  rebuilt  two  years 
ago  and  now  has  a  capacity  of  about  12,000,000  eggs. 

Conditions  at  the  Klawak  hatchery  are  in  a  general  way  similar  to  those  at  Hetta.  The  average 
take  of  red  salmon  eggs  during  the  last  few  years  at  Klawak  has  been  under  5,000,000.  This  is  only  about 
half  the  maximum  capacity  of  the  hatchery.     The  building  is  plain,  but  in  good  condition. 

Of  the  smaller  hatcheries  the  one  that  most  impressed  me  was  that  commonly  known  as  the  Boca 
de  Quadra  hatchery,  situated  at  the  head  of  Smith  Lake.  The  buildings  are  simple  .and  inexpensive, 
but  not  conveniently  arranged.     This,  however,  is  a  condition  that  can  be  readily  corrected,  since  the 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


79 


SOME  OF  BUILDINGS  AT  AFOGNAK   HATCHERY. 


LITNIK   MOUNTAIN    FROM    AFOGNAK    HATCHERY.     THE  WH  ITE   APPEARANCE   OF    MOUNTAIN    IS    DUE  TO  VOLCANIC  ASH 

RATHER  THAN  SNOW. 


So 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


WATER-SUPPLY  RESERVOIR  AT  AFOGNAK   HATCHERY. 


INTERIOR   OF  AFOGNAK    HATCHERY. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


81 


SEINING   SOCKEYE   SALMON    IN   CREEK   AT   AFOGNAK    HATCHERY. 


SEINING    SALMON   JUST    BELOW    RACK   AT   AFOGNAK    HATCHERY.     NOTE    HEAD    NETS    FOR   PRO- 
TECTION AGAINST   MOSQUITOES. 


TAKING  EGGS  FROM   SOCKEYE  SALMON,  AFOGNAK   HATCHERY. 


74025—15 6 


82 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


more  important  features  are  well  covered.  The  buildings  were  new  last  year,  and  several  fry  ponds  have 
been  built.  Buschmann  Creek  and  also  Cobb  Creek,  another  large  stream  entering  Smith  Lake,  were 
both  teeming  with  sockeye  salmon  this  fall,  assuring  an  abundant  supply  of  eggs  for  a  much  larger  hatchery 
than  the  one  now  in  use,  the  capacity  of'which  is  about- 18,000,000  salmon  eggs.  There  is  also  good  evidence 
of  a  sufficient  water  supply. 

In  connection  with  this  hatchery  I-would  like  to  speak  of  a  stream  4  miles  away  known  as  Humpback 
Creek,  which  empties  into  Mink  Arm.  This  is  one  of  the  best  humpback  salmon  streams  in  southeastern 
Alaska.  Last  September  the  Yes  Bay  hatchery  collected  from  Humpback  Creek  2,600,000  humpback 
salmon  eggs.  This  stream  would  be  of  great  assistance  in  supplying  the  hatchery  already  established  at 
Buschmann  Creek,  provided  its  capacity  were  increased.  This  location  and  the  conditions  impressed 
me  most  favorably,  and  its  close  proximity  to  the  main  waters  makes  it  all  the  more  valuable. 


Sfa/u/e  m/'/es 

Vicinity  of  Yes  Bay  hatchery,  showing  traps  off  mouth  of  bay  that  hamper  hatchery  work. 
GOVERNMENT   HATCHERIES. 

There  are  two  Government  hatcheries  in  Alaska,  one  known  as  the  Yes  Bay  hatchery,  situated  at 
the  head  of  McDonald  Lake,  on  Cleveland  Peninsula,  in  southeastern  Alaska,  and  the  other  on  Litnik 
Lake,  on  Afognak  Island,  a  Government  reservation  between  Shelikof  Straits  and  the  Gulf  of  Alaska.  I 
visited  these  hatcheries  and  scrutinized  every  detail  carefully.  In  connection  with  their  operation  I  have 
little  but  favorable  comment  to  make.  Both  of  them  were  in  splendid  condition  inside  and  out,  and  the 
only  suggestion  I  would  offer  is  that  the  work  be  expanded  in  every  possible  way  in  order  to  keep  pace 
with  the  ever  increasing  need  for  replenishing  the  supply  of  salmon.  The  present  normal  capacity  of 
each  of  these  stations  is  about  75,000,000  red-salmon  eggs. 

At  Afognak  there  is  great  need  for  erecting  a  feeding  shed  to  cost  about  $1,500.  The  station  is 
equipped  with  a  sawmill,  and  spruce  timber  is  close  at  hand  which  may  be  worked  up  for  this  purpose. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


83 


REARING   PONDS  AT   FORTMANN    HATCHERY. 


INTERIOR  OF  FORTMANN   HATCHERY. 


84 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA    INVESTIGATIONS. 


85 


KARLUK   HATCHERY  ON   KODIAK   ISLAND. 


> 


KARLUK   HATCHERY  SHOWING  WATER  SUPPLY  AND  TRAMWAY   FOR   HANDLING  ADULT   BREEDING   SALMON  AND   FRY. 


86 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


TAKING  SPAWN   FROM   SOCKEYE  SALMON   AT   KARLUK    HATCHERY. 


INTERIOR  OF  KARLUK   HATCHERY.     SALMON   EGG   BASKETS   REMOVED   FROM   TROUGH. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


87 


TWO   MATURE   MALE  SOCKEYE  SALMON,  SHOWING  CONTRAST  IN  SIZE,  THE  LARGER 
WEIGHING  11   POUNDS  AND  THE  SMALLER   1W  POUNDS. 


SORTING   BROOD  SOCKEYE  SALMON   AT  KARLUK   HATCHERY. 


88  REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 

Afognak  still  feels  the  effects  of  the  eruption  of  Katmai  Volcano  in  June,  191 2.  The  deposit  of  ash  is  still 
to  be  seen  on  the  trees  and  hills  and  there  is  so  much  washed  into  the  streams  that  the  take  of  eggs  is  far 
below  the  normal.     It  is  likely  that  conditions  from  now  on  will  improve  rapidly. 

In  regard  to  the  Yes  Bay  hatchery,  there  is  but  little  to  suggest,  except  the  extension  of  the  feeding 
pond  system.  This  is  a  matter  of  great  importance.  There  is  a  tramway  half  a  mile  long  between  the  land- 
ing and  McDonald  Lake.  It  is  in  bad  repair  and  should  be  attended  to  at  once,  for  an  accident  to  the 
trestle  on  which  the  track  is  laid  might  cause  the  loss  of  property  as  well  as  result  in  injury  to  some  of  the 
employees.  Another  needed  improvement  is  the  construction  of  a  branch  of  the  present  tramway,  start- 
ing at  the  power  house  and  continuing  through  to  the  Yes  Bay  cannery,  a  distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half. 
This  would  permit  safe  communication  at  all  times  of  the  year.  The  fact  that  there  is  no  trail  and  that 
the  undergrowth  is  unusually  dense,  together  with  the  deep  snow,  makes  it  almost  impossible  to  get  over 
this  ground,  and  on  account  of  thin  ice  it  is  impossible  during  three  or  four  weeks  in  the  fall  and  spring 
to  get  down  to  the  cannery  at  Yes  Bay,  where  the  weekly  mail  boat  stops,  and  if  a  physician  or  supplies 
were  needed  in  an  emergency  they  could  not  be  obtained. 

The  question  of  the  supply  of  fish  at  these  hatcheries  is  of  the  greatest  importance,  in  order  to  insure 
a  maximum  take  of  eggs  at  the  least  possible  cost.  At  the  present  time  and  under  the  existing  law,  the 
cannery  people  have  the  right  to  encroach  on  the  territory  that  should  be  exclusively  reserved  for  these 
hatcheries.  The  work  of  the  hatcheries,  both  public  and  private,  is  so  important  that  there  should  be 
nothing  to  prevent  the  salmon  having  full  sway  in  reaching  waters  where  they  will  be  available  for  use  at 
the  hatcheries. 

The  question  of  raising  more  humpback  or  pink  salmon  in  southeastern  Alaska  is  very  important,  as 
over  90  per  cent  of  the  total  pack  of  this  variety  is  canned  in  that  part  of  the  Territory.  In  addition  to 
this,  I  would  earnestly  recommend  that  the  custom  of  distributing  fry  should  be  modified,  and  the  quantity 
diminished  each  year  until  it  is  made  possible  to  feed  the  entire  output  of  hatchery  fish  to  the  fingerling 
stage,  so  that  when  placed  in  the  water  they  will  have  some  real  future  value.  The  more  I  see  of  fish- 
cultural  work  the  more  I  am  impressed  with  the  fact  that  the  fewer  fry  distributed  and  the  greater  the 
number  of  fingerlings  the  more  pronounced  will  be  the  practical  results  in  the  way  of  increased  runs  of 
salmon. 

MORE   HATCHERIES   NEEDED. 

Beyond  question  there  should  be  a  number  of  new  Government  hatcheries.  This  is  a  valuable  work, 
if  conducted  along  proper  lines,  and  upon  it  will  depend  in  no  little  measure  the  future  supply  of  salmon 
in  Alaska.  This  matter  should  have  immediate  consideration,  and  the  following  locations  are  suggested 
as  suitable  for  these  new  hatcheries: 

Redoubt  or  Deep  Lake. — This  lake  is  15  miles  south  of  Sitka.  The  water  supply  is  excellent,  and  about 
55,000  sockeyes  were  taken  there  last  year. 

Eyak  Lake. — This  lake  is  close  to  the  town  of  Cordova  and  at  the  present  time  is  protected  by  a  closing 
order  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce.  This  order  should  continue  in  force,  and  on  account  of  the  good  run 
of  red  salmon,  the  accessibility  of  the  lake,  and  the  fact  that  a  splendid  water  supply  is  available,  a  hatchery 
should  be  established  on  the  lake. 

Chignik  Lake. — This  body  of  water  is  in  central  Alaska.  Canning  operations  have  been  carried  on 
here  extensively  for  years  and  the  supply  of  salmon  is  growing  less.  There  is  great  need  for  a  hatchery 
here.  Chignik  Lake  was  surveyed  by  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  three  years  ago,  having  this  purpose  in 
view,  and  favorable  recommendations  were  made.  There  was  no  place  in  Alaska  that  appealed  to  me 
more  as  a  proper  place  for  fish-cultural  work. 

Chilkat  Lake. — This  lake  is  situated  near  the  northern  part  of  Lynn  Canal  and  in  the  past  has  received 
some  consideration  as  a  hatchery  prospect.  It  is  an  admirable  place  for  another  Government  hatchery 
and  reservation. 

MARKED   FISH. 

Another  interesting  feature  in  connection  with  the  hatchery  work  is  the  branding  of  salmon.  At 
Chignik  a  large  number  of  sockeyes  with  a  distinct  V-shaped  mark  in  the  tail  were  taken.  Another  time, 
at  Boca  de  Quadra,  a  number  of  sockeyes  with  a  V-shaped  mark  in  the  ventral  fin  were  taken,  and  while 
it  is  impossible  to  determine  at  present  where  they  originated  it  is  possible  that  they  were  marked  at  some 
hatchery. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


89 


SORTING  SOCKEYE  SALMON,   KARLUK   HATCHERY. 


MOUTH   OF   GLACIER   CREEK,   TRIBUTARY   TO   EYAK    LAKE.      SOCKEYE   SALMON    IN   WATER. 


go 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


HATCHERY  BUILDING,  BOCA  DE  QUADRA. 


SMITH  LAKE,  BOCA  DE  QUADRA. 


1EP0RT  OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


9i 


MOTH    OF    BUSCHMANN    CREEK,    BOCA    DE   QUADRA    HATCHERY. 


REARING   PONDS  AT  BOCA   DE  QUDRA   HATCHERY.      POLES  ARE   PLACED  ACROSS  TO  SUSTAIN   NETTING  WHICH    PREVENTS 

DEPREDATIONS   OF    BIRDS. 


92  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

DISREGARD  OF  FISHERIES  LAWS. 

It  is  an  unfortunate  fact  that  efforts  are  made  by  some  of  the  cannery  interests  in  Alaska  to  conceal 
violations  of  the  law,  and  I  think  it  is  only  proper  to  cite  several  cases  which  show  the  necessity  for  a  better 
patrol  system  in  order  to  curtail  this  disregard  of  the  law. 

In  one  instance,  when  a  certain  cannery  in  Alaska  was  advised  that  I  was  close  by  but  could  not  reach 
their  fishing  grounds  immediately,  the  superintendent  hastily  sent  a  messenger  across  the  country  to  warn 
the  fishermen  of  my  approach  and  stop  illegal  fishing.  About  two  hours  later,  when  I  reached  there,  the 
first  thing  that  greeted  my  ears  was  the  talk  among  the  native  fishermen  as  to  what  all  the  disturbance 
was  about.  It  was  very  evident  to  me  that  the  superintendent  had  started  something  which  they  did 
not  understand. 

At  another  time,  when  coming  into  an  important  fishing  section,  a  fog  obscured  our  vessel  until  we 
were  almost  upon  a  seine  outfit.  The  fog  suddenly  lifted  and  showed  the  fishing  gear  being  hauled  by 
powerful  tugs  directly  across  the  mouth  of  the  stream.  Of  course,  upon  seeing  us  they  stopped  as  soon  as 
possible.  When  I  later  called  the  attention  of  the  superintendent  of  the  cannery  to  the  matter,  he  laughed 
it  off  with  a  remark  to  the  effect  that  you  know  we  do  the  best  we  can.  But  I  learned  afterwards  that 
this  was  a  common  occurrence.     We  have  practically  no  patrol  in  either  of  these  regions. 

In  another  place,  where  one  of  our  officers  had  recently  taken  a  cannery  to  task  for  allowing  its  fisher- 
men to  violate  the  law,  the  superintendent  resented  his  interference.  I  happened  to  be  in  that  country 
later  and  heard  threats  against  this  official  that  they  would  "get  him"  and  "would  see  that  he  did  not 
remain  long  in  the  service."  ■ 

Another  case  was  in  respect  to  three  fishing  boats  that  ran  into  a  bay  at  night  without  any  lights, 
running  as  far  as  they  could  to  the  headwaters,  then  launching  their  boats  and  hauling  their  short  seines 
in  shallow  water  and  making  their  escape  before  daylight. 

These  are  only  a  few  of  many  cases,  and  the  only  way  to  stop  such  flagrant  and  intentional  violations 
is  to  have  a  sufficient  number  of  vessels  and  an  adequate  force  of  men  to  patrol  effectively  all  the  fishing 
grounds.  It  is  only  fair  to  say,  however,  that  there  are  some  cannery  men  in  Alaska  who  have  every  regard 
for  the  fisheries  laws  and  who  are  doing  their  utmost  to  observe  faithfully  all  regulations  and  require- 
ments. It  sometimes  happens,  however,  that  irresponsible  subordinates  are  a  source  of  much  annoyance 
to  such  conscientious  cannery  men  who  are  trying  to  fulfill  both  the  spirit  and  the  letter  of  the  law. 

ENFORCEMENT  OF  THE  LAWS. 

The  enforcement  of  the  fisheries  laws  of  Alaska  is,  of  course,  an  important  feature  in  the  preservation 
of  the  supply  of  fish.  The  few  officials  connected  with  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  have  done  and  are  doing 
their  utmost;  but  the  fact  that  they  have  met  with  much  opposition  has  handicapped  them  in  obtaining 
convictions.  I  am  advised  by  reliable  authority  that  up  to  this  year  there  had  not  been  a  single  con- 
viction by  a  jury  in  Alaska  for  violation  of  the  fishery  laws.  I  am  glad  to  say  that  there  has  been  a 
change  of  sentiment  and  feeling  against  those  who  do  not  regard  the  laws  as  serious,  and  recently  the 
juries  in  two  courts  have  brought  in  verdicts  against  those  who  had  disobeyed  the  law. 

In  the  past,  not  only  have  our  officials  received  small  support  from  the  majority  of  the  United  States 
commissioners  and  some  of  the  deputy  marshals  in  Alaska,  but  they  have  actually  been  opposed  by  some 
of  them  in  carrying  on  their  duties.  In  one  instance  the  commissioner  and  deputy  marshal  and  deputy 
clerk  of  the  court  were  actually  interested  in  a  cannery  and  did  everything  in  their  power  to  see  that 
their  private  interests  were  not  molested  and  that  their  company  was  not  prosecuted  after  it  had  been  found 
violating  the  law.  This  is  a  deplorable  condition,  and  until  rectified  there  is  small  chance  of  bringing  to 
justice  those  who  violate  the  law. 

Government  officials  in  Alaska  should  not  be  interested  in  any  of  the  local  industries.  The  United 
States  commissioners  to-day  receive  paltry  fees,  which  fact  accounts  in  a  large  measure  for  the  perpet- 
uation of  the  existing  conditions.  It  is  imperative  that  this  condition  be  changed  without  delay.  These 
men  should  receive  substantial  and  fixed  salaries  from  the  Government,  and  the  offices  should  be  filled 
with  reliable  and  responsible  men.  It  is  hard  to  realize  the  antagonism  and  the  influences  brought  to 
bear  by  these  men  on  other  officials  of  the  United  States  Government  who  are  trying  to  live  up  to  their 
oaths  and  enforce  the  fisheries  laws. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


93 


HUMPBACK  CREEK,  MINK  ARM,  WHICH  POSSESSES  SPLENDID  POSSIBILITIES  FOR  HATCHERY  WORK. 


LIVING   QUARTERS,   BOCA    DE   QUADRA   HATCHERY. 


94 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


95 


HETTA   LAKE   HATCHERY. 


INTERIOR  OF  HETTA  LAKE  HATCHERY. 


96 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA    INVESTIGATIONS. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


97 


SEVERAL   HUNDRED    SALMON    WERE    CAUGHT    AT    CHIGNIK    LAST    SEASON    WITH    FINS    NOTCHED    AS    ABOVE.      IT    IS 

POPULARLY   CLAIMED   THAT   SUCH    FISH    HAVE    BEEN    MARKED. 


A   NUMBER  OF  SOCKEYE  SALMON   WITH   FINS  AS  ABOVE  WERE  TAKEN   AT   BOCA   DE  QUADRA.      POSSIBLY  THESE   FISH 

WERE   MARKED   AT   A    PRIVATE   HATCHERY. 
74025—15 7 


98  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

In  September,  upon  invitation,  I  addressed  the  grand  jury  at  Juneau,  and  the  gist  of  my  talk  was  that 
not  only  was  it  a  fact  that  no  jury  in  Alaska  had  ever  returned  a  verdict  against  the  fishing  interests,  but 
it  was  almost  impossible  to  find  a  United  States  commissioner  or  deputy  marshal  who  was  in  sympathy 
with  the  prosecutions.  It  was  placed  before  them  clearly  that  until  there  is  a  change  in  the  sentiment 
in  the  jury  room  regarding  these  interests  when  they  violate  the  laws  there  is  very  little  use  in  trying  to 
protect  the  valuable  fisheries  of  Alaska.  I  was  asked  by  this  jury  to  write  a  letter  stating  briefly  what 
I  would  recommend  for  the  betterment  of  these  conditions,  and  the  following  is  a  copy  of  my  communi- 
cation : 

Juneau,  Alaska,  August  24,  IQI4. 
To  the  Foreman  of  the  Grand  Jury, 

Juneau,  Alaska. 
At  the  suggestion  of  your  honorable  body,  based  on  my  address  before  you  this  afternoon,  I  respectfully  offer  the  following  brief 
suggestions  for  the  protection  and  preservation  of  the  great  fishing  industry  of  Alaska: 

First.  The  appropriation  by  Congress  of  sufficient  money  to  build  at  least  nine  adequate  and  modern  boats  for  the  patrol  of  all  the 
waters  of  Alaska. 

Second.  The  appropriation  of  sufficient  money  to  provide  an  adequate  personnel  of  not  less  than  25  competent  men,  as  wardens, 
inspectors,  etc.,  who  will  be  able  to  cover  properly  the  coast  and  inland  waters  of  Alaska  at  all  times  and  be  assured  sufficient  funds  for 
their  traveling  expenses  and  subsistence. 

Third.  The  appropriation  of  sufficient  funds  to  provide  for  at  least  four  new  hatcheries  and  their  maintenance  where  the  artificial 
propagation  of  salmon  can  be  conducted  along  sound  business  principles. 

Fourth.  At  least  part  of  the  money  collected  for  tax  on  fish  and  fishing  interests  should  be  used  for  the  protection  and  maintenance 
of  the  fisheries  of  Alaska.  To-day  the  tax  on  fish  exceeds  the  amount  appropriated  by  Congress  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Alaskan  fisheries, 
still  no  part  of  that  revenue  reverts  to  the  protection  of  its  point  of  origin. 

At  all  events  it  is  obvious  that  the  great  industry  is  on  the  wane,  and  radical  steps  should  be  taken  to  protect  it  before  it  is  too  late. 
If  the  foregoing  suggestions  are  clearly  and  fully  carried  out,  I  have  no  apprehension  of  the  failure  on  the  part  of  the  United  States 
Fish  Commission  to  protect  the  fisheries  of  Alaska,  thereby  assuring  the  future  of  this  vast  industry. 

Necessary  changes  of  the  laws  are  imperative,  but  these  will  no  doubt  be  properly  acted  upon  on  the  receipt  of  my  report. 
Very  respectfully, 

E.  Lester  Jones, 

United  States  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Fisheries. 

LABOR  QUESTIONS. 

Alaska  is  such  a  vast  territory,  and  its  various  enterprises  are  growing  so  rapidly,  that  the  labor  question 
is  becoming  an  important  one.  As  yet  the  country  is  sparsely  settled  and  must  depend  largely  on  imported 
labor  during  the  busy  season.  This  has  created  a  business  complication  which  has  not  as  yet  been  satisfac- 
torily solved. 

Resident  fishermen. — In  southeast  Alaska  this  element  composes  a  considerable  proportion  of  those 
engaged  in  taking  salmon  for  the  various  canneries.  The  past  season  there  were  many  idle  men  in  southeast 
Alaska,  and  upon  inquiry  I  learned  that  most  of  them  were  fishermen.  Their  idleness  was  attributable 
to  two  causes — first,  they  were  refused  employment  by  certain  canneries  which  preferred  imported  and  alien 
labor;  and  second,  because  of  the  fact  that  they  had  listened  to  agitators  and  trouble  makers,  who  did 
not  have  their  interest  at  heart  but  who  simply  desired  to  create  trouble  for  the  canneries.  Instead  of 
accepting  regular  employment  and  making  use  of  the  opportunity  to  earn  good  wages  during  the  fishing 
season,  they  spent  their  time  in  saloons  and  around  the  town  creating  dissension  and  bad  feeling  against  the 
fishing  interests  in  general. 

From  the  standpoint  of  the  fisherman,  there  are  instances  where  the  canneries  show  utter  disregard  of 
fairness,  illustrating  pretty  clearly  at  times  the  attitude  toward  resident  labor.  As  an  example,  an  incident 
at  one  town  may  be  cited  where,  during  the  first  large  run  of  sockeyes,  all  the  white  fishermen  were  warned 
that  there  was  little  use  of  their  fishing,  for  if  they  did  the  fish  would  be  wasted,  as  they  would  not  be 
bought  by  the  cannery.  This  was  quite  an  unfortunate  situation,  for  these  men,  some  of  them  with  families, 
who  live  in  Alaska,  were  compelled  to  sit  idle  and  watch  imported  labor  take  their  living  away  from  them 
at  the  time  of  year  when  the  greatest  amount  of  money  could  be  earned. 

While  I  have  looked  at  the  situation  from  all  angles  and  realize  thoroughly  that  in  some  instances 
the  fisherman  is  to  blame  because  of  his  unjust  demands  and  his  general  lack  of  reliability,  I  think  that 
in  cases  where  resident  fishermen  are  available  they  should  be  given  every  opportunity  to  engage  in  this 
or  any  other  part  of  the  industry  for  which  they  are  fitted,  and  thus  be  allowed  to  earn  a  livelihood.  '  In 
other  words,  the  resident  fishermen  should  always  have  the  preference  over  alien  or  imported  fishermen. 
This  applies  also  to  the  Indians  and  the  Aleuts. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


99 


YAKUTAT   INDIANS   IN  COSTUME    FOR    POTLATCH    FESTIVAL.     THEIR   ENTIRE  SEASON'S  EARNINGS  OF  $4,800  AT  THE  CANNERY 

WERE  SPENT   IN  TWO   DAYS  AT  THESE  FESTIVITIES. 


AKUTAN  ALEUTS  STANDING   BEI 


ARABARA  OR   SOD   HUT. 


IOO 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


ALEUT   VILLAGE,   WESTERN   ALASKA,   SHOWING   OBSCURITY  OF   NATIVE   BARABARAS   OR  SOD 

HOUSES. 


INDIAN    FISHING   VILLAGE,   SOUTHEASTERN    ALASKA 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS,  ,  ;.  -     .  101 


OLDEST   CHILKOOT    INDIAN    FISHERMAN    IN    FRONT   OF    HIS    FISHING    CAMP   ON    CHILKOOT    RIVER. 


CHILKOOT   RIVER,   SHOWING   PLATFORMS   FROM    WHICH    INDIANS   HOOK   OR   GAFF   SALMON. 


•••.•• 


102  .     ..:.•:•••.•::.    -.REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

Alien  and  imported  labor. — This  class  of  labor  causes  much  disturbance  because  of  the  opposition  to 
it  by  people  who  live  in  Alaska  throughout  the  year.  On  account  of  the  scarcity  of  white  and  Indian  and 
Aleut  labor  in  many  places  where  canneries  are  operated,  imported  labor  is  absolutely  indispensable,  and 
there  is  no  just  argument  that  can  possibly  be  made  to  forbid  the  continuance  of  this  practice.  A  pro- 
hibition of  this  sort  would  not  only  work  a  great  hardship  and  injustice  to  a  number  of  the  canneries,  but 
it  would  mean  practically  the  closing  of  their  business.  Then  again,  the  unreliability  of  the  Indian  and 
Aleut  makes  it  necessary  for  a  business  concern  to  have  assurance  that  there  will  be  no  possible  chance 
for  hindrance  or  curtailment  of  its  operations  during  the  short  canning  season.  On  the  other  hand,  I  per- 
sonally investigated  localities  and  cases  where  the  alien  and  imported  laborers  were  detrimental  to  the 
Indians,  Aleuts,  and  white  residents. 

As  a  protection  to  fishermen  living  in  Alaska,  it  appeals  to  me  as  wise  and  necessary  to  revise  the  law 
so  that  no  aliens  imported  for  inside  labor  at  the  canneries  may  engage  lawfully  in  actual  fishing  operations. 
This  would  also  forbid  aliens  from  line  fishing  or  trolling  for  commercial  purposes,  which,  in  view  of  a 
recent  court  decision,  is  now  possible. 

INDIANS  AND  ALEUTS. 

Nothing  in  Alaska  interested  me  more  or  appealed  to  me  more  than  the  Indians  and  the  Aleuts,  from 
the  fact  that  their  lives,  surrounded  by  conditions  new  and  distasteful  to  them,  are  being  made  more 
unfortunate  each  day.  The  white  man  has  come  into  their  territory,  in  many  cases  infringing  on  their 
prior  and  just  rights.  The  home  of  the  Thlinket  Indians  is  in  southeastern  Alaska,  from  Yakutat  to 
Ketchikan,  and,  while  their  ancestors  were  no  doubt  like  the  Aleuts,  to-day  in  looks,  language,  and  habit 
they  are  vastly  different.  The  Aleuts  live  on  the  islands  in  southwestern  Alaska,  along  the  coast  of  the 
Alaska  Peninsula,  and  as  far  north  as  the  Pribilof  Islands  and  Bristol  Bay. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  for  generations  they  have  made  an  easy  living  with  no  one  to  molest  them, 
they  are  to-day,  as  a  class,  independent,  lazy,  and  unreliable.  Their  condition  can  be  accounted  for 
partly  by  their  past  environment.  The  white  man  has  done  little  to  encourage  their  uplift  and  is  largely 
to  blame  for  the  demoralized  condition  of  mind  and  body  of  the  native  to-day.  Naturally,  these  people 
were  physically  and  mentally  strong,  but  the  influences  that  have  surrounded  them  for  the  past  50  years 
have  lowered  their  standard,  until  in  many  cases  and  in  many  localities  they  are  on  a  very  low  plane. 

The  saloon  prevails  wherever  the  white  man  settles,  and  has  had  more  to  do  with  the  undoing  and 
ruination  of  the  Indian  and  the  Aleut  than  all  other  causes  put  together;  and  where  saloons  are  not  to  be 
found  liquor  reaches  them  in  the  guise  of  pay  and  bribes.  The  white  man's  lack  of  care  and  regard  for 
the  sanctity  of  the  native's  home  is  the  crime  of  Alaska.  In  many  sections  the  wife  and  daughters  are 
dishonored,  and  any  resistance  from  the  husband  and  father  or  brother  is  overcome  by  threats  and  bribes 
and  liquor,  until  even  the  men  have  all  their  best  impulses  and  senses  deadened  and  seem  to  be  unmanned. 

With  all  this  unfortunate  condition  true,  there  are  localities  where  a  good  influence  has  been  felt. 
On  one  island  in  central  Alaska  a  cannery  is  operated  entirely  by  these  natives  (with  the  exception  of  the 
bookkeeper  and  the  superintendent),  and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  note  the  condition  of  the  place  and  the 
generally  gratifying  appearance  of  the  natives.  This  example  showed  me  conclusively  that  with  the  right 
influences  the  Indian  and  the  Aleut  can  be  brought  to  a  higher  standard  of  efficiency,  reliability,  and  honor. 
There  are  other  canneries  that  encourage  this  native  labor  and  are  earnestly  trying  to  help  these  unfortunate 
people.  In  southeastern  Alaska  the  canneries  have  been  of  much  benefit  to  the  Indians.  Their  income 
has  largely  been  derived  from  their  work  in  connection  with  the  fishing  industry,  and  to-day  some  of  them 
own  their  own  fishing  boats  and  gear. 

At  another  cannery  quite  a  different  condition  was  noticeable.  A  large  portion  of  the  help  was  Indians 
and  they  made  more  or  less  trouble  all  the  time.  The  true  reason  for  this  was  hard  to  tell.  No  doubt 
they  were  not  entirely  to  blame.  About  the  time  I  visited  this  establishment  there  were  many  thousands 
of  salmon  lying  on  the  floor,  and  concentrated  effort  was  needed  to  take  care  of  them  at  once.  With  this 
state  of  affairs  evident,  the  superintendent  was  notified  one  morning  of  the  absence  of  11  of  the  Indian 
women  who  cleaned  the  fish,  and  found  that  they  were  going  off  in  a  party  for  four  or  five  days'  vacation. 
It  took  the  greatest  persuasion  and  even  some  bribing  to  keep  these  women  in  their  places  and  prevent  the 
loss  of  the  fish. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


103 


CHIEF   KA-SHAKES,   OF  THE  THLINKET   INDIANS, 
WRANGELL. 


INDIAN    FISHERMEN    IN    DUGOUT    CANOE,    NEAR    HAINES. 


ALEUTS   IN   TWO-HATCH    BIDARKAS  AT   UNALASKA. 


104  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

In  some  localities  I  observed  that  the  Indian  was  willing  and  anxious  to  earn  the  $5  to  $8  a  day  often 
paid  him  during  the  fishing  season;  but  his  mind  was  filled  with  discontent  by  agitators,  who  not  only 
demanded  his  money  for  the  support  of  their  unwise  doctrines,  but  used  their  bad  influences  in  suggesting 
to  the  men,  who  at  heart  wanted  to  work,  that  they  were  being  treated  unjustly  by  the  white  men,  and 
pleaded  with  them  not  to  work  for  the  cannery  men. 

This  season  there  were  about  4,000  Indians  and  Aleuts  employed  in  the  canning  and  fishing  industry 
of  Alaska.  This  is  about  one-third  of  the  total  number  of  natives  living  on  the  coast  of  Alaska,  or  about 
one-eighth  of  the  entire  number  in  the  whole  Territory. 

EDUCATION   OF   NATIVES. 

I  can  not  speak  too  highly  of  the  work  done  by  the  Bureau  of  Education  of  the  Interior  Department. 
The  men  who  have  charge  of  this  work  in  Alaska  are  to  be  commended.  I  had  the  opportunity  to  become 
well  acquainted  with  some  of  those  in  charge,  and  with  much  of  their  work,  which  undoubtedly  is  along 
right  lines.  If  the  natives  could  all  have  a  certain  amount  of  education,  not  necessarily  from  books,  they 
would  become  better  citizens  of  this  country,  and  their  condition  of  mind  and  body  would  be  much  im- 
proved. It  seems  to  me,  however,  that  it  is  to  matters  of  health  and  sanitation  that  attention  should  be 
directed  primarily,  at  least  at  present,  rather  than  to  more  academic  phases. 

The  lack  of  money  for  this  purpose  is  unfortunate,  and  the  Government  could  well  afford  to  appro- 
priate more  each  year  than  the  $200,000  at  present  appropriated,  which  is  insufficient. 

POLLUTION. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  Alaska  is  sparsely  settled  and  the  settlements  are  relatively  small,  the  question 
of  sanitation  has  not  yet  appealed  with  much  force  to  the  various  communities.  I  was  disappointed  to 
find  that  in  the  majority  of  the  towns  in  southeastern  Alaska  practically  no  attention  was  paid  to  cleanliness 
or  to  the  presence  of  debris  and  offal  and  the  effect  upon  the  community.  In  one  town  I  noticed  two 
conspicuous  signs: 

Warning!  Any  person  or  persons  who  shall  throw,  deposit  or  leave  any  garbage,  rubbish  or  any  other  substance  in  or  around 
his  or  her  dwelling  or  premises  under  their  control,  which  is  calculated  to  or  likely  to  or  which  may  endanger  the  public  health;  or  who 
shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  remove  the  same,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor  and  shall  upon  conviction  thereof  before  the  muni- 
cipal magistrate  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  not  less  than  one  dollar  nor  more  than  fifty  dollars.     By  order  of  the  City  Council. 

Help!!!     Help  make a  clean  and  healthy  city  by  observing  the  following  "don'ts." 

Don't  spit  on  floors  or  sidewalks.     To  do  so  spreads  disease. 

Don't  throw  out  your  garbage.     Burn  it.     Garbage  breeds  flies  and  rats,  and  flies  and  rats  breed  disease. 

This  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction,  but  it  came  to  me  as  a  matter  for  comment  that  a  municipality 
should  pass  an  ordinance  making  it  a  misdemeanor  for  residents  to  allow  refuse  or  garbage  to  remain  around 
their  premises,  yet  not  only  sewage  and  other  matter  was  permitted  to  run  directly  under  the  houses  and 
be  deposited  within  the  town,  but  canneries  were  allowed  to  dump  all  their  refuse  underneath  the  docks, 
which  really  are  part  of  the  town.  In  fact,  some  of  the  towns  are  built  in  part  on  planking  over  the  water. 
I  spoke  of  this  to  a  number  of  residents  of  the  place  and  their  comment  to  me  was,  "Well,  we  can  not 
hurt  the  canneries;  they  dominate  the  town."  Yet  some  poor  fellow  who  was  guilty  of  a  lesser  offense 
might  be  brought  before  a  municipal  magistrate  and  fined  from  $1  to  $50.  The  effect  of  this  wholesale 
dumping  of  refuse  into  the  water  is  not  only  insanitary  but  criminal.  At  low  tide  a  black  muck  is  exposed, 
and  during  these  hours  the  stench  is  sickening,  and  I  know  from  actual  observation  that  even  the  upper 
works  of  a  vessel  tied  to  one  of  these  docks  at  low  tide  is  in  a  few  hours  covered  with  a  dark  coating,  a 
collection  from  the  fumes  rising  from  this  mass.  Climatic  conditions  alone  save  these  towns  from  a  scourge 
or  an  epidemic.  With  the  increasing  population  and  the  congestion  that  is  already  showing  itself  in  some 
sections,  it  seems  that  nothing  short  of  an  object  lesson  will  teach  the  harmfulness  of  the  existing  conditions. 

Another  form  of  pollution  is  from  the  mills  that  deposit  all  their  sawdust  and  refuse  in  the  waters 
of  Alaska.  While  this  is  a  well-known  injury  to  young  fish  and  is  a  direct  violation  of  the  Territorial  law 
which  forbids  the  dumping  of  sawdust  into  the  waters  of  the  Territory,  it  is  being  done  in  some  of  the 
towns  and  under  the  very  eyes  of  the  local  officials. 

At  every  cannery  in  Alaska  the  refuse  is  dumped  off  or  under  the  docks.  The  mass  of  decaying  and 
decayed  fish  is  both  an  eyesore  and  the  cause  of  most  unhealthful   insanitary,  and  unpleasant  conditions. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


105 


MAIN   STREET  OF  SITKA,   SHOWING  TENTS  WHERE  WIVES  OF   INDIAN   FISHERMEN   SELL  CURIOS. 


CHILKOOT   INDIAN   WOMAN   MAKING   BASKET. 


io6 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


ROAD    HOUSE    RUN   BY  NATIVES  AT   KLUCK-TOO,  CHILKAT 
RIVER. 


AKUTAN  ALEUT  MOTHER  AND  8  CHILDREN  IN  FRONT  OF 
BARABKI,  OR  SMALL  TYPE  OF  SOD  HUT.  THE  FATHER 
IS  EMPLOYED  AT  A  NEAR-BY  WHALING  STATION. 


DRYING    NATIVE   GRASSES   FOR    BASKET   WORK,   ALEUTIAN    ISLANDS.    ALSO   SHOWING   SEA    LION 
BLADDER   USED  FOR  RETAINING  FRESH  WATER. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


107 


CHILKOOT   INDIAN  CHIEF  AND   WIFE. 


wm  m 


\'*Mf  <A£\ 


INDIAN   FUNERAL  ON  CHILKOOT   RIVER. 


io8 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


PLANT  AT   WARDS    COVE    FOR    MANUFACTURE    OF    OIL    AND     FERTILIZER    FROM    CANNERY    WASTE.     OIL    FILTERING 

TANKS   ARE   SHOWN   AT   RIGHT. 


OIL  SEPARATING   TANKS   AT  WARDS  COVE   REDUCTION    PLANT. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


109 


WARDS 


COVE    REDUCTION     PLANT.      PRESS    ROOM    WHERE    COOKED    OFFAL    IS    SUBMITTED    TO    PRESSURE    OF    8,000 
POUNDS    PER   SQUARE    INCH    TO    REMOVE    LIQUIDS. 


DISCHARGE   END   OF   DRIERS   AT   WARDS   COVE   REDUCTION   WORKS. 


no  REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 

The  canneries  should  take  steps  at  once  to  either  burn  this  offal  or  utilize  it  in  making  fertilizer  and  oil. 
This  is  one  of  the  conditions  that  makes  the  surroundings  at  a  cannery  insanitary  and  creates  an  unwhole- 
some atmosphere  for  the  men  and  women  who  are  employed  there. 

It  is  a  good  thing  for  southeastern  Alaska  that  a  plant  for  utilizing  the  fish-cannery  waste  has  been 
established  recently,  and  those  interested  in  canneries  should  cooperate  heartily  with  its  promoters  and 
assist  them  in  every  way  to  remove  the  offal  from  their  canneries.  The  towns,  too,  should  take  some 
speedy  and  decisive  action  that  will  put  an  end  to  the  practice  of  some  canneries  along  this  line  which 
is  injurious  from  every  standpoint. 

UTILIZATION   OF   CANNERY   WASTE. 

No  enterprise  yet  launched  in  Alaska  means  more  in  certain  ways  to  the  Territory  than  that  under- 
taken last  spring  at  a  plant  at  Wards  Cove  for  the  purpose  of  converting  cannery  waste  into  oil  and  fertil- 
izer. In  addition  to  the  utilization  of  cannery  waste,  the  plant  will  also  use  sharks  and  nonedible  fishes. 
Operations  were  carried  on  for  a  period  of  about  60  days  in  the  past  season  and  the  results  were  encourag- 
ing.    Several  vessels  were  employed  in  collecting  cannery  waste. 

The  owners  of  a  number  of  canneries  signed  contracts  disposing  of  such  waste  at  very  reasonable 
figures,  extending  over  periods  of  from  one  to  five  years.  Others,  however,  refused  to  sell  the  refuse, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  oil  and  fertilizer  concern  offered  a  fair  price  and  was  willing  to  build  receptacles 
for  the  stuff  at  the  canneries  and  call  for  it.  Inasmuch  as  the  accumulation  of  this  waste  material  at  the 
canneries  causes  inconvenience  as  well  as  insanitary  surroundings,  it  strikes  me  that  every  cannery  should 
be  glad  to  give  away  this  offal  that  has  hitherto  been  polluting  the  waters  of  Alaska. 

Now  that  an  opportunity  has  presented  itself  for  relieving  the  settlements  and  towns  of  the  filth  that 
has  surrounded  them,  it  is  hoped  that  in  another  year  the  managers  of  all  places  within  reach,  where  fish 
are  being  utilized,  will  cooperate  with  this  new  enterprise  and  do  everything  they  can  to  make  it  a  success. 

It  is  understood  that  the  company  operating  the  plant  at  Wards  Cove  is  contemplating  the  erection 
of  several  more  plants  of  a  similar  character  in  Alaska,  two  in  southeast  Alaska  and  one  or  more  to  the  west- 
ward. I  had  thought  seriously  of  recommending  a  plan  for  individual  fertilizer  plants  at  each  cannery, 
but  they  would  not  be  necessary  if  the  waste  were  utilized  elsewhere.  The  operation  of  a  small  fertilizer 
and  oil  reduction  plant  in  connection  with  each  cannery  is  much  less  likely  to  be  productive  of  satisfactory 
results  than  the  operation  of  a  large  establishment  devoted  wholly  to  this  work  and  employing  skilled  and 
experienced  operatives. 

FUR-BEARING  ANIMALS. 

Alaska  is  the  last  frontier  region  of  this  country  and  much  of  it  is  so  isolated  and  difficult  of  access 
that  it  is  as  yet  largely  unexplored  by  the  white  man;  but  the  tendency  is  increasing  each  year  to  work  back 
into  this  vast  area  and  secure  the  valuable  skins  of  the  various  fur-bearing  animals.  So  far,  this  tendency 
has  been  confined  mostly  to  those  who  spend  their  time  trapping  and  hunting,  killing  everything  and  any- 
thing at  any  time  of  the  year,  regardless  of  any  law  or  of  how  little  value  the  fur  may  have  at  the  time. 
This  short-sightedness,  and  I  may  say  wholesale  killing,  which  has  been  conducted  in  some  sections,  is 
producing  its  results,  and  now  it  is  necessary  to  reach  back  into  less  accessible  places  in  order  to  keep  up 
the  supply  of  furs.  The  fact  that  Congress  has  made  provision  for  but  seven  wardens  to  patrol,  for  the 
protection  of  fur-bearing  animals,  the  nearly  600,000  square  miles  of  Alaskan  territory  indicates  that  they 
have  had  almost  no  protection  at  all.  It  would  take  many  times  that  number  of  wardens  to  secure  adequate 
protection  for  them. 

The  present  law  makes  it  a  misdemeanor  to  kill  fur-bearing  animals  except  during  such  open  seasons 
as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  Secretary  of  Commerce.  The  law,  however,  forbids  only  the  actual  killing 
of  those  animals,  and  it  does  not  enable  the  Department  to  enforce  effectively  prohibitions  upon  certain 
other  acts  which  are  readily  recognized  as  being  as  detrimental  to  their  conservation  as  the  actual  killing. 
If  the  fur-bearing  animals  of  Alaska  are  to  be  preserved,  there  must  be  a  law  broad  enough  to  cover  every 
detail,  so  that  there  will  be  no  possible  chance  for  offenders  to  go  free,  as  they  do  now  under  the  existing 
imperfect  act.  And,  furthermore,  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  should  have  the  right  to  make  such  regula- 
tions as  he  deems  proper  from  time  to  time,  based  on  the  reports  of  men  who  understand  the  varying  condi- 
tions, which  are  so  radically  different  in  various  parts  of  the  Territory. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


in 


GENERAL   VIEW    OF    FOX    RANCH    NEAR   CHILKAT    LAKE. 


INSIDE  OF   FOX    RANCH,   SHOWING   ROW   OF   BREEDING    PENS   ON   ONE   SIDE. 


U2  REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 

CONTROL   OP   FUR-BEARING   ANIMALS. 

The  question  of  the  Department  of  Commerce  retaining  jurisdiction  over  the  fur-bearing  animals  of 
Alaska  through  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  has  been  given  much  thought  and  consideration.  Until 
recently  the  system  of  protection  for  these  animals  in  Alaska  has  been  in  a  more  or  less  confused  condition. 
Through  intelligent  investigations  and  operations  extending  over  a  period  of  several  years,  this  Department 
has  worked  out  quite  definite  plans,  and  now,  after  its  officials  have  acquired  much  valuable  knowledge 
and  experience  at  no  little  expense  to  the  Government,  there  is  talk  of  transferring  jurisdiction  over  these 
animals  to  another  department.  I  can  not  agree  with  such  a  step.  If  this  is  done,  it  will  take  many 
years  for  the  practical  knowledge  that  has  been  gathered  in  the  Department  of  Commerce  through  the 
Bureau  of  Fisheries  to  be  acquired  by  new  people  in  charge;  in  other  words,  a  new  start  will  have  to  be  made, 
which  would  mean  much  confusion  during  the  time  of  readjustment. 

Before  I  made  my  trip  to  Alaska,  I  was  rather  doubtful  as  to  the  desirability  of  such  a  change;  but  after 
seeing  the  actual  conditions  and  studying  the  various  important  phases  of  the  question  on  the  ground,  I 
formed  the  opinion,  based  on  facts  as  I  saw  them,  that  it  would  be  unwise  and  unprogressive  to  allow 
the  control  of  the  fur-bearing  animals  to  pass  from  the  Department  of  Commerce  to  another  department 
of  the  Federal  Government  or  to  the  Territory  of  Alaska.  With  the  help  that  Congress  can  provide  in 
the  way  of  more  wardens  to  look  after  the  work,  there  is  no  apparent  reason  why  the  matter  of  protecting 
the  Alaska  fur-bearing  animals  will  not  be  better  attended  to  and  even  more  advantageously  handled  if 
the  authority  is  kept  where  it  now  is;  and  from  an  economical  and  business  standpoint  it  will  be  better, 
as  our  wardens  can  assist  with  the  fishing  industry  in  summer  and  look  after  the  fur-bearing  animals 
in  winter,  thereby  saving  a  double  patrol  system. 

PROTECTIVE  SEASONS. 

The  majority  of  fur-bearing  animals  in  Alaska  should  be  afforded  protection  during  certain  seasons. 
There  are,  however,  at  least  three  exceptions — certain  bears,  the  wolf,  and  the  wolverine.  It  seems  very 
shortsighted  to  give  protection  to  the  bears  other  than  the  polar  bears  at  any  time  of  the  year.  Through 
the  greater  part  of  Alaska  bears  are  very  abundant  and  are  shot  regardless  of  seasons.  To-day  there  is  a 
law  which  prohibits  in  certain  seasons  the  killing  of  the  great  brown  bear  of  Kodiak  Island,  which  is  the 
single  species  of  bear,  and  of  fur-bearing  animals,  under  the  care  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture.  Because 
this  law  is  misunderstood,  all  brown  bears,  regardless  of  species  or  shade  of  color,  are  included  in  this 
restriction.  This  confusion  not  only  works  a  hardship  on  those  who  trap  for  a  living,  but  is  a  serious  hin- 
drance to  the  enforcement  of  the  laws  and  regulations  applying  to  the  bears  in  general.  The  brown  bear 
is  as  clearly  a  fur-bearing  animal  as  the  other  bears,  and  all  species  should  come  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  Department  of  Commerce.  It  is  earnestly  hoped  that  this  inconsistency  will  be  remedied  so  as  to 
remove  the  state  of  embarrassment  and  confusion  that  now  exists  in  Alaska  among  the  trappers,  mer- 
chants who  deal  in  bear  skins,  Federal  and  Territorial  wardens,  and  customhouse  officials.  There  may 
come  a  time  when  there  should  be  a  close  season  on  some  bears  in  certain  parts  of  the  Territory  in  addi- 
tion to  that  provided  for  the  polar  bears,  but  it  is  not  now  necessary,  and  is  certainly  unwise. 

The  wolves  are  the  most  destructive  wild  animals  that  roam  the  woods  of  the  Territory.  This  espe- 
cially applies  to  southeastern  Alaska.  They  frequent  many  of  the  islands  in  packs  and  are  ever  hunting 
for  food.  The  Department  of  Agriculture,  through  the  Biological  Survey,  is  now  making  an  effort  to 
protect  the  deer  in  southeastern  Alaska,  to  make  up  for  the  years  of  wanton  slaughter.  This  effort  is 
admirable,  but  unless  the  wolf,  which  is  increasing  as  a  menace,  is  eliminated  to  some  extent  there  will 
be  no  further  use  for  prescribing  protection  to  deer,  as  they  are  rapidly  disappearing  on  many  of  the 
islands.  I  observed  a  number  of  instances  where  the  wolves  had  killed  deer,  and  in  others  I  saw  specimens 
of  deer  that  were  thin  because  of  the  ceaseless  chasing  they  had  had  by  those  animals.  It  is  a  serious 
matter,  and  I  would  strongly  recommend  that  Congress  provide  a  bounty  of  $5  on  wolves  in  southeastern 
Alaska,  to  take  effect  at  once.     I  consider  them  the  greatest  menace  in  this  section  to  deer  and  game  birds. 

EFFECT   OF   EXISTING   LAWS   ON   NATIVES. 

The  natives  in  different  parts  of  Alaska  that  are  affected  by  the  laws  prohibiting  the  killing  of  certain 
fur-bearing  animals  feel  that  a  great  injustice  has  been  done  them  and  that  they  should  be  accorded  certain 
privileges  not  now  allowed.     They  are  generally  satisfied  with  the  open  and  close  season  on  the  small 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


"3 


FIVE    ISLAND   SILVER  GRAY   FOXES. 


PLAYFUL  ANTICS   OF  A   PAIR   OF  VALUABLE   BLACK   FOXES. 


74025—15 8 


114  REPORT   OK  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

fur-bearing  animals ;  but  in  coast  towns  and  in  the  western  part  of  Alaska,  Bristol  Bay,  and  in  the  waters 
around  the  Aleutian  Islands  Reservation  they  feel  keenly  the  fact  that  they  are  forbidden  to  hunt  sea 
otter  and  are  restricted  in  respect  to  the  taking  of  fur  seals  for  their  own  livelihood.  There  are  two  or 
three  instances  that  are  worthy  of  being  cited  in  this  report. 

The  Sitka  Indians  feel  keenly  the  injustice  of  the  present  seal  law,  and  they  appealed  to  me.  Since 
prohibitions  were  placed  upon  their  shooting  fur  seals,  they  felt  they  should  have  been  reimbursed  for  the 
boats  and  guns  they  had  bought  just  before  and  which  are  now  practically  of  no  value  to  them. 

The  Aleuts  on  Akutan  Island  are  suffering  because  of  laws  that  have  been  made,  not  through  their 
fault,  but  on  account  of  the  white  man's  exploitation  of  the  natural  resources.  These  people  for  gener- 
ations have  made  their  living  by  hunting  the  sea  lion,  the  walrus,  the  sea  otter,  and  other  fur-bearing 
animals.  To-day  the  stricter  laws  that  are  in  force  have  largely  deprived  them  of  their  only  trade  and 
occupation. 

A  case  in  Bristol  Bay  deserves  sympathy  as  well  as  thought.  East  winter  natives  in  this  region 
killed  three  sea  otters  and  took  the  pelts  to  a  near-by  town  in  order  to  sell  them.  This  in  itself  indicates 
that  they  were  absolutely  innocent  of  any  knowledge  of  wrongdoing.  When  they  arrived,  the  United 
States  commissioner,  very  fortunately  for  them,  was  absent,  but  there  were  enough  people  around  town 
to  frighten  them  badly  by  telling  them  that  they  had  violated  the  law  and  would  be  thrown  into  jail. 
They  returned  to  their  homes  immediately,  tied  rocks  to  these  valuable  skins,  went  out  in  the  bay,  and  sank 
them.  It  is  a  pity  that  such  laws  are  deemed  necessary.  It  would  seem  far  better  if  conditions  had  been 
such  that  these  men  could  have  been  allowed  to  exchange  these  skins  for  food  and  clothing;  and  it  is  a 
question  of  much  seriousness  to  me  whether,  strictly  speaking,  this  kind  of  killing  by  these  natives  under 
the  supervision  of  an  agent  of  the  Government  would  not  be  wise  and  commendable. 

There  was  another  instance.  Several  natives  living  on  one  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  killed  a  number 
of  seals.  These  skins  were  brought  into  Unalaska  for  sale.  The  commercial  agent  refused  them  on 
account  of  their  having  bullet  holes  in  them.  They  were  later  disposed  of  in  some  manner  and  taken  to 
some  ship  that  happened  to  be  in  or  near  the  harbor. 

It  strikes  me  most  forcibly  that  the  Aleuts  and  Indians  have  a  certain  just  and  prior  right  to  the 
natural  resources  in  the  country  that  they  inhabited  before  the  advent  of  the  white  man,  and  surely  the 
scarcity  of  sea  otter  and  other  animals  is  not  due  to  them  but  to  the  greed  of  the  newcomer.  Something 
should  be  done  under  Government  supervision  to  allow  definite  privileges  to  the  Indians  and  Aleuts. 
They  might  be  allowed  to  take  a  certain  number  of  these  animals  which  are  necessary  for  their  comfort 
and  well-being,  even  though  it  is  against  the  law  for  a  white  man  to  kill  them.  This  question  deserves  the 
utmost  thought:  Is  it  wise  to  make  laws  which  take  away  from,  these  natives  their  principal  means  of  livelihood, 
until  they  have  learned  other  work,  or  until  other  methods  of  earning  their  daily  bread  can  be  brought  to  them? 
In  other  words,  we  have  taken  certain  necessities  from  them  and  have  not  provided  ample  and  proper  substitutes. 

PROPAGATION  OF  FUR-BEARING  ANIMALS. 
KOX     FARMS. 

A  new  industry  in  Alaska,  the  raising  of  fur-bearing  animals  in  corrals  or  on  island  ranches,  has  created 
more  than  ordinary  interest.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  few  of  the  men  who  have  engaged  in  this  business 
have  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  conditions  necessary  to  raise  foxes  in  captivity  successfully,  there  have 
been  many  failures  and  few  successes.  Because  five  black  or  silver-gray  foxes  have  brought  exorbitant 
prices,  men  have  been  misled  into  thinking  that  all  they  had  to  do  was  to  purchase  a  few  foxes  and  soon 
begin  to  reap  the  benefits  by  receiving  large  sums  for  their  sale. 

The  prices  obtained  by  many  who  are  carrying  on  the  business  in  Canada  and  elsewhere  on  the 
continent  do  not  indicate  a  healthy  condition.  In  fact,  the  prices  that  are  asked  and  actually  received 
in  many  cases  do  not  represent  the  real  commercial  value  of  these  animals  as  a  fox-farm  business  propo- 
sition. It  is  a  good  deal  like  a  man  who  has  a  prize-winning  dog;  some  wealthy  person  comes  along  and 
pays  him  $5,000  for  it  because  it  has  won  some  special  prize  at  a  celebrated  show.  Other  people  immediately 
think  that  dog  raising  is  a  profitable  business,  if  they  bring  such  enormous  prices,  and  want  to  jump  into 
it  without  further  knowledge.  With  foxes  as  with  other  things,  an  unnatural  condition  like  this  only  brings 
disaster  and  can  not  possibly  work  any  good. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


1 1" 


n6  REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

To  undertake  the  business  of  fox  ranching  in  Alaska  a  man  must,  in  the  first  place,  be  industrious  and 
willing  to  endure  hardship.  In  the  second  place,  he  must  study  to  some  extent  the  habits  of  foxes  and 
the  kind  of  country  or  soil  necessary  for  their  welfare.  And,  third,  he  must  have  sufficient  capital  to  buy 
his  first  installment  of  breeding  stock,  with  ample  capital  in  reserve  for  ordinary  losses,  and  to  provide 
against  the  fact  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  operate  the  farm  for  probably  four  years  without  any  returns.  When 
he  has  done  these  things,  the  reasons  seem  remote  why  he  should  not  succeed.  Unfortunately,  to  date 
there  are  very  few  who  have  taken  hold  in  the  proper  manner,  yet  their  misfortune  and  reverses  have 
enabled  others  to  profit  by  their  experience,  and  I  look  for  better  and  more  settled  conditions  relative  to 
the  propagation  of  fur-bearing  animals  in  Alaska.  Those  who  are  now  beginning  realize  that  it  is  a  business 
to  be  worked  out  practically  and  scientifically,  and  that  haphazard  methods  will  not  suffice. 

ISLAND    FOX    FARMS. 

By  Executive  order  dated  February  2,  1904,  authority  to  lease  certain  islands  in  central  and  western 
Alaska  for  the  purpose  of  fox  raising  was  transferred  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  the  Secretary 
of  Commerce.  On  paper  the  minimum  lease  price  of  $200  per  annum  for  these  islands  seemed  fair,  and 
without  any  knowledge  of  what  these  islands  were,  assuming  that  they  were  adapted  to  such  purposes, 
the  offer  made  by  the  Government  seemed  to  be  an  inducement  that  should  be  readily  taken  up.  But  as 
time  went  on  there  were  only  four  of  them  that  were  actually  leased  for  from  $200  to  $250  per  annum,  the 
leases  to  run  five  years.  This  seemed  strange  to  me,  but  since  my  visit  to  a  number  of  the  islands  and  after 
looking  into  other  conditions  relative  to  fox  farming  the  atmosphere  has  cleared  and  I  understand  a  great 
many  things  that  I  did  not  know  before.  Two  hundred  dollars  per  annum  does  not  seem  much  to  people 
when  they  hear  of  foxes  being  sold  for  from  $5,000  to  $10,000  a  pair;  but  as  I  have  already  stated,  these 
unnatural  and  artificial  prices  can  not  possibly  apply  to  the  islands  situated  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  off  the 
coast  of  Alaska.  The  quality  of  the  fur  from  these  islands  is  not  as  good  as  that  from  inland  areas  farther 
north.  The  man  who  goes  out  to  that  isolated  country  to  carry  on  this  work  alone  has  a  hard  row  to  hoe. 
With  a  capital  of,  say,  $3,000,  he  must  lay  aside  $800  to  pay  for  his  lease  for  the  first  four  years,  as  he  must 
not  expect  any  return  from  his  initial  stock  before  the  end  of  that  time.  Then  he  has  to  buy  his  foxes  for 
a  starter,  and  supposing  he  bought  half  a  dozen  blue  foxes,  the  cost  would  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  $1,200. 
There  is  $2,000  gone  already.  And  the  balance  will  be  well  utilized  in  feeding  himself  and  his  stock  and  in 
paying  other  expenses. 

In  figuring  this,  I  have  not  allowed  anything  for  corrals,  for  in  most  cases  on  these  islands  the  foxes  do 
better  to  run  at  large;  but  it  must  be  understood  that  on  many  of  the  islands  in  western  Alaska,  including 
some  of  those  offered  by  the  Government  for  leasing,  there  is  not  enough  natural  food  to  take  care  of  what 
would  ordinarily  constitute  a  fair  number  of  foxes  for  such  an  area.  Therefore,  a  man  must  provide  food  at 
more  or  less  cost  the  year  round.  If  he  does  his  own  work  he  has  no  income  for  the  first  four  years.  If  he 
is  fortunate  enough  to  have  a  good  position  and  still  more  fortunate  in  securing  a  reliable  man  to  look 
after  things  for  these  four  years,  the  chances  are  that  matters  will  be  in  pretty  good  shape  at  the  expira. 
tion  of  his  lease.  Then  what  is  going  to  happen?  Some  other  man  may  outbid  him,  and  his  time,  labor, 
and  buildings  are  all  gone. 

The  Government,  if  opening  a  reservation  in  one  of  our  Western  States,  would  permit  the  land  to  be 
acquired  free,  under  certain  restrictions;  and  I  can  not  understand  just  why  any  man  who  is  reliable  and 
industrious  and  willing  to  go  out  and  help  to  develop  that  far-away  frontier  country  of  Alaska  should  not  be 
encouraged  by  the  same  privileges  instead  of  being  hampered  and  disheartened  at  the  start.  If  it  seems 
wise  to  lease  these  islands  for  $200  per  annum,  or  thereabouts,  I  should  certainly  be  in  favor  of  arranging 
it  so  that  after  the  first  five  years  a  man  would  either  receive  a  rebate  of  perhaps  half  of  the  leasing  price 
paid  by  him  when  he  has  proved  his  good  faith;  or  I  would  suggest  a  sliding  scale  for  leasing  these  islands 
at  $50,  for  example,  for  the  first  five  years,  and  then  a  stationary  price  for  the  next  ten  years  with  the 
privilege  of  renewal,  if  desired,  for  another  ten  years,  and  so  on.  Under  the  present  leasing  system,  at  the 
end  of  five  years  a  man  may  lose  the  island  where  his  money  and  efforts  were  spent  during  the  life  of  the  lease. 
I  would  suggest  that  the  men  who  have  already  leased  these  islands  should  be  advised  at  once  that  the 
Government  extends  the  right  to  the  leasing  of  their  islands  to  ten  years,  with  the  privilege  of  renewal 
for  ten  more.  This  would  be  highly  satisfactory,  and  would  create  confidence  and  satisfaction  which 
does  not  exist  to-day  among  those  who  have  leased  islands  or  are  contemplating  such  a  step. 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


117 


A   PAIR  OF  CROSS   FOXES  AT   RANCH   NEAR  CHILKAT   LAKE.      NOTE  OPEN   CONSTRUCTION  OF  UPPER   PART  OF  KENNEL 

TO   GIVE  GOOD   CIRCULATION   OF   AIR. 


INTERIOR  OF   A   CORRAL.   SHOWING   BLACK   AND   CROSS   FOXES. 


n8  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

The  fact  that  these  comparatively  few  islands  have  not  been  readily  taken  up  by  men  who  are  anxious 
to  go  into  the  fox  business  has  shown  me  conclusively  that  something  is  wrong.  I  attribute  it  to  three 
things — first,  the  price  is  too  high  for  the  average  poor  man  to  pay;  second,  the  lease  is  for  too  short  a 
time;  and  third,  a  number  of  the  islands  are  not  adapted  to  fox  raising. 

There  is  another  phase  of  the  leasing  system  that  I  have  looked  into  which  works  a  hardship  and  is 
apparently  unjust  as  shown  by  the  following  example:  Mr.  J.  C.  Smith  in  1907  moved  to  Simeonof  Island, 
one  of  the  extreme  outer  islands  of  the  Shumagin  Group.  He  was  a  poor  man  and  had  to  work  hard, 
occupying  himself  in  tilling  the  soil  and  in  general  farming.  He  has  raised  a  large  family — nine  children, 
I  understand — and  it  has  been  difficult  for  him  to  get  along.  Then  after  17  years  of  hard  work  the  Gov- 
ernment interfered  and  this  island  on  which  he  lives  and  to  which  he  certainly  has  some  prior  right  was 
offered  to  anyone  in  the  country  who  wanted  to  lease  it  for  fox-farming  purposes.  The  result  was  that, 
to  protect  what  little  he  had,  Mr.  Smith  was  forced  to  bid  for  the  island,  running  the  risk  of  losing  it,  and 
then  begin  raising  foxes,  whether  he  wanted  to  or  not.  For  the  next  five  years  he  must  pay  a  total  rent 
of  $1,250,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  again  run  the  risk  of  losing  his  home.  As  already  indicated,  I  think 
that,  as  a  pioneer  and  one  who  has  opened  up  a  section  of  a  vast  territory,  he  deserves  a  present  of  the 
island  instead  of  being  saddled  with  a  rental  of  $250  per  annum. 

The  present  situation  does  not  seem  right  or  just.  The  poor  man  without  means  is  the  one  who 
should  be  encouraged  to  take  up  these  islands  and  should  be  assisted  in  undertaking  this  work;  he  should 
have  the  support  of  the  Government,  and  not  be  handicapped  or  held  back  by  having  some  hardship 
imposed  upon  him. 

There  are  a  few  men  engaged  in  fox  farming  who  are  doing  it  along  proper  lines,  understanding  their 
business  and  making  a  success  of  it. '  The  following  instances  are  cited  from  among  those  I  know: 

Samuel  Applegate,  who  has  a  fox  ranch  on  Samalga  Island,  has  made  a  success  of  raising  foxes,  but, 
as  he  admits  himself,  he  was  most  fortunate  in  securing  an  island  that  was  specially  adapted  to  that  sort 
of  work,  and  so  he  has  succeeded.  He  has  made  some  money  from  the  sale  of  blue  fox  pelts  in  the  last 
few  years. 

Andrew  Grosvold,  who  lives  on  Popof  Island,  is  another  man  who  is  successful.  He  is  far-sighted 
and  realizes  all  the  peculiarities  of  these  animals.  Mr.  Grosvold  has  a  thriving  trader's  post  at  Sand  Point, 
on  Popof  Island,  and  reliable  men  to  look  after  his  fox  farms.  He  is  able  to  furnish  the  money  to  conduct 
operations  properly  until  they  are  on  a  paying  basis.  Therein  lies  one  of  the  secrets  of  his  success.  At 
the  present  time  he  controls  six  islands  and  has  about  the  following  number  of  foxes  on  each: 

Blue  foxes. 

Caton  Island,  of  the  Sannak  Group : 500 

Bird  Island,  of  the  Shumagin  Group 100 

Chernabura  Island,  of  the  Shumagin  Group 75 

Chernabura  Islet,  of  the  Sandman  Reefs 30 

Big  Goose  Island,  of  the  Shumagin  Group 20 

Little  Koniuji  Island,  of  the  Shumagin  Group.     (Number  uncertain  as  he  has  only  recently  leased  this  island.) 

James  York,  on  Sumdum  Island,  is  an  industrious,  hard-working  man  who  14  years  ago  started  with 
20  pairs  of  blue  foxes;  to-day  he  has  between  70  and  100  blue  foxes.  He  feels  that  the  stock  he  owns 
is  the  same  as  a  man's  cattle  and  that  he  should  have  freedom  in  disposing  of  them  when  the  opportunity  offers, 
without  communicating  with  Washington  each  time.  The  fact  that  he  has  settled  and  made  use  of  this 
otherwise  useless  island  should  give  him  a  right  that  no  other  man  should  molest. 

INTENSIVE    (CORRAL)    FUR-FARMING. 

The  men  just  referred  to  are  raising  foxes  on  islands.  On  the  mainland  a  different  method  is  in  vogue, 
namely,  the  confinement  of  the  animals  in  corrals  constructed  especially  for  this  purpose.  I  noticed  in 
my  travels  a  number  of  permanent  structures  built  for  the  purpose  of  raising  foxes,  mink,  and  marten, 
but  in  only  two  cases  did  I  see  any  evidences  of  success,  and  in  most  cases  those  engaged  had  become 
thoroughly  discouraged. 

In  the  Chilkat  River  region  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  what  was  possibly  the  most  ideally  situated 
corral  for  foxes  of  any  in  Alaska.  The  owners,  T.  D.  Lahey  and  C.  M.  Handley,  know  their  business. 
They  are  both  hard  workers,  and  understand  thoroughly  the  habits  of  a  fox.  They  selected  their  site 
with  a  view  to  finding  a  situation  where  the  soil  was  agreeable  and  best  for  the  fox,  and  where  a  second 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA    INVESTIGATIONS. 


r>9 


CORRAL   FOX   FARM,   SHOWING   A   YOUNG   AND   VIGOROUS    PAIR   OF   RED    FOXES. 


PEN    IN    FOX   CORRAL   SHOWING   A   BLACK   FOX,  THE   MOST   VALUABLE   AND   HIGHLY   PRIZED   VARIETY  OF   FOX. 


120 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


essential,  a  supply  of  good  running  water,  was  available  from  one  of  the  watersheds  of  Chilkat  Lake.  A 
fox  delights  in  scratching  and  digging,  and  if  the  dirt  is  not  soft  and  pliable  but  is  filled  with  rocks  and 
stones  his  feet  become  sore,  which  sooner  or  later  will  result  in  his  death. 

The  corrals  were  built  with  rare  judgment — large,  each  one  containing  a  comfortable  house  of  two 
stories,  the  lower  part  compact  and  tight,  and  the  upper  part  open  at  both  ends,  where  the  foxes  might 
lie  in  good  weather  and  sleep  with  plenty  of  air  and  sun.  The  yards  contain  plenty  of  green  grass,  which 
is  essential  to  their  welfare,  and  furthermore  the  running  water  that  I  referred  to  passes  through  the  wire 
of  each  separate  corral.  The  foxes  digging  around  the  sides  of  the  pens  create  a  natural  basin  for  the 
water,  in  which  they  like  to  bathe.     When  necessary  the  supply  of  water  can  be  diverted. 


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FOX  COegAL 


J/ream  ofwa/er  /rom  moun/ain 
en/erj  corra/ 'a/ '^7  "ana1 '  c/'rcu/a/ss 
///rough  each  pen,  /fc^xwy  /ences. 
Ou/s/c/e  zence  '3  "is  a/7  add/'/iona/ 
precaution  a  pains/  escape  o/ 'fares 
ana1 a/so preren/s  /Aem  from  Ae/ha 
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S/ee/iinp  Mouse 


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Sec //on  of  fence 


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Sec/ion 


Plan  of  fox-rearing  corral. 


There  are  in  these  corrals  black  foxes,  cross  foxes,  and  some  reds.  One  of  the  things  that  impressed 
me  as  much  as  anything  I  saw  in  connection  with  this  ideal  outfit  was  the  fact  that  these  foxes  were 
nearly  all  so  tame  that  they  would  come  up  and  take  grass  out  of  one's  hand.  This  was  another  indication 
of  the  way  in  which  these  men  understand  their  business,  for  at  other  places  I  had  seen  the  foxes  were 
so  wild  that  they  nearly  killed  themselves  in  endeavoring  to  hide  from  those  who  were  trying  to  look  after 
them,  something  that  certainly  is  detrimental  to  the  success  of  a  fox  farm. 

During  the  summer  these  foxes  are  fed  once  a  day  on  smoked  salmon  or  other  fish.  Bear  meat  is  also 
occasionally  used,  but  no  salt  food.     In  winter  time  frozen  fish  is  fed  to  them,  and  in  so  doing  great  care 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


121 


is  exercised  that  no  blood  is  allowed  to  remain  on  the  fish,  as  this  is  injurious  to  the  foxes.  Among  the 
necessities  for  keeping  foxes  in  good  condition  are  bones,  feathers,  green  grass,  plenty  of  sunlight,  and  more 
or  less  wind.     I  was  fortunate  enough  to  get  good  photographs  oMhis  ideal  corral  fox  farm. 

There  was  another  fur  ranch  that  impressed  me  favorably,  which,  although  small,  was  well  conducted. 
It  is  owned  by  Joe  Voelke  and  Ben  Wizamas.  These  men  have  constructed  their  corrals  much  on  the  line 
of  Lahey  and  Handley's.  It  is  located  on  Chilkat  River  at  18  Mile  Post.  In  addition  to  the  fox  corral, 
they  have  constructed  one  for  mink  raising,  and  this  is  the  only  such  corral  that  gave  evidence  of  study 
and  practicability.  It  was  built  along  lines  that  would  insure  the  protection  of  these  animals  and  their 
breeding.     Each  pen  was  provided  with  running  water. 


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De/a//  of  //ouses  !/7 


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Plan  of  corral  for  propagation  of  mink. 
ILLEGAL   FOX   FARMING. 

Unfortunately  some  men  are  getting  licenses  with  the  intention  and  sole  purpose  of  deceiving  the 
Government  and  defeating  the  spirit  of  the  law.  It  must  be  understood  that  the  regulations  of  the  Depart- 
ment allow  only  ranch-bred  foxes  to  be  shipped  out  of  the  Territory  of  Alaska,  on  permits  issued  by  the 
Secretary  of  Commerce  and  affidavits  made  by  the  shipper.  No  wild  foxes,  or  foxes  that  have  not  been 
born  on  licensed  fox  farms,  may  be  shipped  out  of  the  Territory.  Now,  the  prevailing  manner  in 
which  these  unscrupulous,  so-called  fox  farmers  do  their  unlawful  work  is  this:  They  buy  from  the  natives 
throughout  the  region  in  which  they  operate  live  foxes  of  all  kinds  and  sizes  that  have  been  trapped  during 
the  year,  and  perhaps  they  also  engage  in  trapping  themselves.  Possibly  they  have  already  applied  to 
the  Government  for  a  license  to  conduct  a  fox  farm,  and  when  they  think  they  have  enough  foxes  for  a 
small  shipment  to  Canada  or  the  United  States  they  make  application  to  Washington,  receive  their  permits, 
make  affidavit  that  they  have  ranch-bred  foxes,  and  send  them  out  of  Alaska,  when,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 


122  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

the  foxes  should  not  have  been  caught,  much  less  shipped.  Their  work  is  carried  on  in  some  instances  by 
clever  manipulators  and  they  have  a  vast  territory  over  which  to  work,  making  their  operations  at  times 
comparatively  easy.  Of  course,  vigilance  is  being  used  to  detect  these  violations  and  deceptions,  but  it 
is  a  difficult  matter  with  the  meager  personnel  we  have  for  the  work. 

A  number  of  illegal  transactions  are  in  my  mind.  One  is  of  foxes  that  were  shipped  down  from  inte- 
rior points  in  Alaska  to  Ketchikan.  They  were  landed  there  and  soon  lost  sight  of.  Later  it  was  found 
that  these  foxes  were  loaded  at  night  below  the  town  on  some  power  boat  and  taken  into  Prince  Rupert 
and  thence  shipped  to  eastern  points  in  Canada.  This  is  only  one  of  the  conditions  difficult  to  handle, 
and  only  the  most  drastic  laws  and  an  increase  in  the  number  of  wardens  will  make  it  possible  to  correct 
this  evil,  or  at  least  reduce  it  to  a  minimum. 

Another  case  is  of  a  man  who  entered  the  business  on  a  remote  part  of  one  of  the  larger  western  islands 
and  then  set  about  trapping  and  collecting  foxes.  When  he  had  enough  he  deliberately  sold  out,  deliv- 
ering them  to  a  fictitious  fox  farmer,  who  had  secured  a  permit  to  ship  a  number  of  ranch-bred  foxes  out 
of  Alaska.  This  man  with  a  permit  deliberately  shipped  these  illegally  trapped  wild  foxes  as  ranch-bred 
stock.  I  happened  to  see  some  of  these  foxes  which  were  afterwards  shipped  to  the  fox  farmer  for  export, 
and  the  man  in  charge  of  these  isolated  corrals  informed  me  with  great  excitement  that  he  was  not  going 
to  ship  them,  although  I  had  not  then  asked  him  what  was  going  to  be  done  with  them.  I  am  glad  to  say 
that  the  officials  of  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  have  pretty  well  ferreted  out  and  located  these  unscrupulous 
and  lawbreaking  men  who  have  been  working  together  more  or  less,  and  it  is  hoped  that  their  operations 
will  cease,  as  everything  possible  is  being  done  to  inspect  all  their  shipments. 

To  assist  in  preventing  violations  of  the  law  some  system  of  branding  all  foxes  on  legitimate  fox  ranches 
seems  necessary  and  at  the  same  time  quite  practicable.  If  every  fox  shipped  out  of  Alaska  bore  an  official 
brand  of  the  United  States  Government,  it  would  tend  to  stop  the  attempts  at  illegal  shipping  and  thereby 
help  materially  to  bring  about  a  better  state  of  affairs  in  Alaska.  If  the  Government  is  going  to  protect 
and  keep  the  foxes  in  the  Territory  so  they  will  be  of  benefit  to  residents,  and  encourage  real  fox  farming, 
the  law  must  be  enforced  thoroughly,  or  it  is  of  absolutely  no  use.  It  should  either  be  done  thoroughly  or 
not  done  at  all. 

ALEUTIAN  ISLANDS  RESERVATION. 

In  the  regulations  for  the  administration  of  the  Aleutian  Reservation  in  Alaska,  regulation  No.  i 
is  as  follows: 

In  compliance  with  existing  laws  and  to  carry  out  the  objects  of  the  Executive  order  establishing  the  reservation,  all  matters  relat- 
ing to  wild  birds  and  game,  and  the  propagation  of  reindeer  and  fur-bearing  animals  will  be  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the 
Department  of  Agriculture;  all  matters  pertaining  specifically  to  the  fisheries  and  all  aquatic  life,  and  to  the  killing  of  fur-bearing 
animals,  will  be  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  Department  of  Commerce;  and  all  matters  other  than  those  specifically  men- 
tioned above  will  be  under  the  joint  jurisdiction  of  the  Departments  of  Agriculture  and  Commerce . 

Can  anybody  conceive  of  a  more  complicated  and  interlocking  division  of  authority  than  this  case? 
The  red  tape,  the  loss  of  time,  and  the  misunderstanding  resulting  and  accumulating  from  just  this  sort 
of  thing  is  appalling.  When  it  is  considered  that  in  this  island  reservation  of  i  ,000  miles  in  length  there 
are  only  two  points  where  a  steamer  touches  at  stated  intervals  during  the  year,  no  worse  division  of 
authority  could  have  been  made.  While  I  was  on  the  reservation  last  summer  many  natives  who  expressed 
a  strong  desire  to  engage  in  fox  farming  came  to  see  me.  This  desire  had  been  partly  inspired  by  the 
superintendent  of  schools  in  the  district,  who  had  recommended  the  business  as  a  legitimate  occupation. 
I  investigated  thoroughly  a  great  many  conditions  and  found  there  was  necessity  for  encouraging  these 
native  men  to  take  up  this  new  industry.  I  realized  then  for  the  first  time  the  confusion  and  misunder- 
standing that  had  arisen  on  account  of  the  division  of  authority  as  set  forth  in  the  regulations  in  the 
Executive  order. 

The  situation  was  this:  I  could  recommend  to  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  that  a  native  be  allowed 
to  kill  half  a  dozen  foxes  in  order  to  sell  their  pelts,  but  no  authority  is  given  the  Secretary  of  Commerce 
to  permit  a  native  to  take  six  live  foxes  in  order  that  he  might  engage  in  an  enterprise  for  which  the  reserva- 
tion should  have  been  in  part  created.  I  did  the  next  best  thing.  I  wired  the  Biological  Survey  urging 
that  a  permit  be  granted  allowing  a  native  to  take  a  number  of  foxes  from  one  of  the  western  islands  and 
bring  them  to  his  home  near  Unalaska,  so  that  he  might  have  some  occupation  and  an  opportunity  to 
support  himself  and  his  family.     After  some  weeks  the  applicant  received  permission  by  mail,  too  late  in 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


123 


A  MAKESHIFT  FOX  RANCH  OF  THE  TYPE  WHICH  SHOULD  BE  DISCOURAGED  OR  EVEN  PROHIBITED 
ENTIRELY,   AS   THE   PENS   ARE  TOO   SMALL   FOR   BREEDING   PURPOSES. 


SILVER  GRAY  FOXES  CONFINED  FOR  ALLEGED  BREEDING  PURPOSES,  BUT  THE  LIMITED  SPACE 
MAKES  SUCCESSFUL  BREEDING  IMPOSSIBLE,  AND  LEADS  TO  THE  SUSPICION  THAT  WILD  FOXES 
ARE  BEING   HELD    FRAUDULENTLY. 


i24  REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS'. 

the  season  to  get  his  foxes  because  there  was  no  available  means  for  transporting  them,  and  as  the  permit 
expires  March  i,  191 5,  it  is  useless  to  him  now. 

If  the  Department  of  Commerce  is  to  have  jurisdiction  over  all  fur-bearing  animals  in  Alaska,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  Reservation,  and  if  there  the  authority  is  to  be  divided,  then  I  would 
recommend  that  the  Executive  order  establishing  it  be  rescinded. 

Few  people,  unless  personally  acquainted  with  the  region,  have  any  idea  of  how  little  the  natives 
really  have  to  live  on  and  to  do  with.  Fishing  and  a  little  trapping  are  practically  all  that  is  afforded  as  a 
means  of  livelihood.  It  is  natural  to  assume  that  the  United  States  Government  will  make  regulations  to 
help  these  people,  but  so  far  as  I  have  observed  what  it  has  offered  on  this  reservation  has  proved  in  a 
large  measure  injurious.  I  thoroughly  believe  that  if  a  native  on  any  island  desires  to  establish  a  fox 
farm  and  asks  the  privilege  of  trapping  wild  stock  from  any  other  island  with  which  to  stock  his  farm 
(especially  when  the  island  on  which  he  lives  is  devoid  of  wild  stock,  as  is  the  case  on  many  islands)  he 
should  be  allowed  to  do  so,  and  furthermore  he  should  be  advised  and  encouraged  in  every  possible  manner. 

One  native  came  to  me  and  suggested  going  into  the  muskrat  business,  asking  if  a  half  dozen  pairs 
of  muskrats  could  be  shipped  him  from  Kenai  Peninsula.  I  wired  this  request  to  the  Secretary  of  Commerce 
and  in  a  few  days  the  native  received  his  permit  by  wire.  The  muskrats  were  shipped  out  there,  and  he  now 
has  an  occupation  which  will  no  doubt  mean  an  income  to  him  and  which  is  a  step  toward  self-respect  and 
independence. 

The  third  article  of  the  regulations  provides  that  residents  of  the  reservation  desiring  to  engage  in 
commercial  fishing  must  first  secure  a  permit  to  do  so.  The  enforcement  of  this  regulation  is  left  to  the 
Department  of  Commerce.  Two  natives  came  in  from  one  of  the  extreme  western  islands  (some  700  miles) 
to  talk  over  the  situation  and  to  tell  me  their  woes.  They  said  they  understood  that  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment had  made  a  regulation  which  forbade  them  to  put  up  a  few  barrels  of  fish  each  year  for  disposal  to 
sailing  vessels  that  might  stop  at  their  island  in  the  course  of  the  year.  They  had  just  heard  of  the  matter 
and  wanted  to  know  if  they  would  be  arrested  if  they  should  sell  some  fish.  As  this  provision  of  the  regu- 
lations now  reads  these  natives  and  all  others  residing  on  the  reservation,  whether  they  live  in  Unalaska 
or  800  miles  from  there,  with  no  possible  way  of  reaching  a  post  office  except  by  means  of  the  Revenue- 
Cutter  Service,  must  secure  from  Washington  a  permit  if  they  wish  to  sell  even  a  barrel  of  fish.  The  chances 
are  that  they  would  get  their  permit  the  following  year,  as  it  would  take,  with  the  uncertain  mail  facilities 
in  that  section,  perhaps  a  month  for  a  letter  to  go  from  Attu  Island  to  Unalaska  and  perhaps  another 
month  to  go  from  Unalaska  to  Washington,  and  by  the  time  the  answer  reached  Unalaska  there  would 
probably  be  no  steamers  back  to  where  the  sender  lives  until  the  following  spring. 

The  granting  of  permits  to  nonresidents  to  carry  on  fishing  operations  within  the  reservation  should 
be  done  with  care,  and  the  first  question  should  be  what  benefit  the  resident  Aleut  will  derive  from  the 
granting  of  such  privileges.  Care  should  be  exercised  to  protect  the  interests  of  these  natives,  and  no 
permission  should  be  given  to  anyone  to  carry  on  any  phase  of  the  fishery  industry  within  the  reservation 
without  providing  that  all  work  pertaining  to  the  same  shall  be  done  by  them. 

NEED   OF   A   WARDEN. 

A  fisheries  warden  should  be  assigned  to  this  reservation,  with  headquarters  at  Unalaska.  He  should 
be  empowered  to  take  official  action  upon  all  minor  and  routine  matters  pertaining  to  the  administration 
of  the  reservation.  Any  rational  plan  for  accomplishing  the  objects  for  which  the  reservation  was  estab- 
lished must  include  an  arrangement  of  this  kind.     An  adjustment  of  this  Executive  order  is  imperative. 

PRIBILOF  ISLANDS. 

There  is  probably  no  part  of  Alaska  concerning  which  more  interest  is  manifested  than  the  Pribilof 
Islands,  in  Bering  Sea.  The  fact  that  they  are  the  breeding  ground  of  the  largest  rookeries  of  fur  seals 
in  the  world  makes  them  not  only  of  great  interest  but  a  valuable  asset  to  the  United  States  Government. 

When  leaving  Washington  my  intentions  were  to  visit  the  Pribilofs,  to  look  carefully  into  the  adminis- 
trative work  of  the  islands  and  the  condition  of  the  natives,  to  study  the  fox  herds,  but  to  give  attention 
to  the  seal  herds  only  in  a  general  way,  inasmuch  as  the  Department  had  appointed  three  special  investi- 
gators to  make  a  comprehensive  study  of  those  herds,  including  the  taking  of  a  census  of  the  seals.  While  at 
Seward  I  received  instructions  to  proceed  at  once  to  those  islands  to  investigate  irregularities  in  regard 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


125 


am 

"i/^l                 ^        m "               -   '  ""    •*    «•                 "**                 .    B| 

^^^^ 

t               -ft       «v     <*»                              .J—-*"    ■■                   ^*              |^ 

*  -*  tei  >»  -C— 



r 

— 



ST.   PAUL  VILLAGE,  PRIBILOF  ISLANDS. 


AUXENIA  STEPETIN,  AGE  ABOUT  75,   THE  OLDEST  ALEUT  ON 
THE  PRIBILOF  ISLANDS. 


FEDOSIE    SEDICK,   AGE   ABOUT   70,   OLDEST  MALE    ALEUT 
ON   PRIBILOF  ISLANDS. 


126  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

to  the  conduct  of  certain  Government  officials.     I  therefore  temporarily  abandoned  my  other  investigations 
and  proceeded  at  once  to  St.  Paul  Island,  arriving  on  July  10. 

An  investigation  was  made  of  charges  against  the  agent  and  caretaker,  and  the  storekeeper  on  St.  Paul 
Island,  and  against  the  agent  and  caretaker  on  St.  George  Island.  Nothing  was  left  undone  to  bring  about 
a  fair  and  full  hearing,  and  testimony  of  all  the  white  employees  on  both  islands,  as  well  as  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  natives,  was  taken  and  the  investigation  was  sweeping  and  impartial.  It  showed  beyond  a  question 
of  doubt  that  a  deplorable  condition  has  existed  on  these  islands  for  years,  and  resulted  in  the  dismissal 
from  the  service  of  both  men  on  St.  Paul  Island.  All  Government  officials  who  have  allowed  the  morals 
of  the  islands  to  be  disturbed  have  violated  their  oath  of  office  and  are  guilty  of  gross  misconduct  if  not  of 
criminal  negligence. 

NATIVES. 

In  order  to  understand  the  reasons  for  the  conditions  on  the  islands  it  is  necessary  to  view  the  matter 
from  a  very  broad  standpoint.  The  native  inhabitants  of  the  islands  are  undeniably  wards  of  the  Govern- 
ment. They  are  on  a  Government  reservation,  receiving  from  the  Government  at  no  cost  to  themsevles  a 
certain  amount  of  supplies  and  rations,  their  schooling,  and  medical  aid.  Furthermore,  viewing  them 
from  a  business  standpoint,  they  are  of  valuable  assistance  to  the  Government  in  carrying  on  the  seal 
and  fox  operations;  so  it  strikes  me  forcibly  that  while  from  a  legal  standpoint  they  may  not  be  considered 
strictly  as  wards,  yet  looking  at  the  situation  from  every  angle,  the  Government  has  a  grave  responsibility 
in  their  general  welfare,  and  they  and  their  homes  should  be  protected.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Government 
has  been  clearly  remiss  in  allowing  the  practical  and  business  side  of  these  islands  to  be  neglected.  The 
villages  in  which  the  natives  reside,  their  houses  and  other  buildings  which  they  find  it  necessary  to  use, 
have  not  received  adequate  attention.  The  facilities  for  obtaining  fresh  water  for  domestic  purposes 
on  both  islands  are  so  bad  that  the  natives  to-day  have  not  a  sufficient  supply  to  assure  even  ordinary 
cleanliness.     This  fact  alone  is  the  greatest  argument  in  favor  of  a  perfected  water  system. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the  villages  has  been  neglected.  Instead  of  maintaining  modern 
settlements  the  Government  has  been  quite  satisfied  with  the  opposite,  and  the  result  is  that  many  of  the 
moral  and  business  questions  of  the  islands  have  been  sadly  overlooked.  The  people  are  lacking  in  intelli- 
gence and  morality,  and  some  of  the  white  men  sent  there,  who  should  have  guided  them  along  proper  lines 
of  living,  have  set  bad  examples.  There  is  a  generally  demoralized  and  bad  atmosphere  among  the  natives, 
both  in  their  talk  and  actions.  It  was  told  to  me  by  one  of  those  who  had  been  entrusted  with  the  care  of 
the  natives  that  it  was  as  common  for  them  to  use  obscene  and  indecent  language  as  it  is  for  us  to  talk 
about  the  weather.  This  is  the  keynote  of  the  whole  situation.  It  was,  the  duty  of  the  Government 
employees  who  have  been  sent  there  in  the  past  to  protect  and  uplift  these  people,  and  it  was  naturally 
and  properly  expected  that  their  examples  and  suggestions  would  improve  their  minds  and  lives  instead  of 
demoralizing  them.  In  other  words,  the  natives  on  the  islands  would  reflect  exactly  the  atmosphere 
created  by  the  talk  and  actions  of  the  United  States  employees. 

natives'  houses. 

There  has  been  little  assistance  given  the  natives  in  their  homes  in  respect  to  matters  pertaining  to 
sanitation.  In  respect  to  their  dwellings  generally  there  is  much  to  be  said.  The  houses  in  many  instances 
are  old  and  never  have  been  either  repaired  or  remodeled.  Many  of  them  are  far  too  small,  with  the 
result  that  in  some  cases  mothers,  fathers,  and  children  sleep,  eat,  and  live  in  one  ill-ventilated  room. 
All  this  is  more  or  less  responsible  for  the  bad  physical  and  moral  condition  of  the  occupants.  A  thorough 
canvass  of  all  these  buildings  should  be  made  at  once,  some  torn  down,  and  others  enlarged  and  repaired 
without  delay.  Some  pf  the  outhouses  are  disgraceful.  In  many  instances  these  should  be  burned  and 
replaced.     Others  should  be  repaired  and  properly  fitted. 

native  beer  and  liquors. 

The  fact  that  the  natives  have  been  allowed  to  make  their  native  beer — "quass,"  or  "sour  dough"— 
has  proved  a  serious  menace  to  the  morals  and  welfare  of  the  community.  In  addition  to  this  they  have 
received  liquor  from  some  of  those  in  whose  safe-keeping  and  protection  they  were  supposed  to  be  placed. 
The  whisky  and  wine  has  had  a  further  demoralizing  effect.     This  situation,  while  not  entirely  changed, 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


127 


NATIVE    METHOD    OF    DRYING    SEAL    MEAT.  PRIBILOF    ISLANDS. 


ST.   GEORGE  VILLAGE,   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


128  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

has  improved.  Not  only  has  the  Department  absolutely  forbidden  the  making  of  "  quass  "  on  the  islands, 
but  has  also  forbidden  the  giving  of  intoxicants  to  the  natives.  I  am  in  favor  of  permitting  the  limited 
use  of  alcohol  for  medicinal  purposes,  but  all  such  material  sent  to  the  islands  either  for  medicinal  or 
scientific  purposes  should  at  all  times  be  kept  in  the  personal  charge  of  the  chief  agents  of  the  respective 
islands.  The  physicians  or  other  authorized  persons  who  may  need  supplies  of  this  kind  for  official  use 
should  apply  to  the  chief  agent  for  the  same,  who  would  furnish  the  quantity  needed,  receive  a  receipt, 
and  make  a  record  of  its  disbursement  in  the  log  book  of  the  island.  Public  drinking  should  be  absolutely 
prohibited. 

SCHOOLS. 

The  schools  and  teachers  furnished  for  the  natives  have  not  been  encouraged  as  they  should  be, 
owing  to  a  certain  prejudice  that  exists  and  to  influences  that  have  been  brought  to  bear  on  the  natives. 
This  condition  we  also  hope  has  been  changed  for  the  better — not  temporarily,  but  permanently — and  the 
natives  have  been  made  to  realize  as  they  never  have  before  the  necessity  for  learning  English.  The 
practice  of  sending  the  older  pupils  to  the  Indian  school  at  Chemawa,  Oreg.,  is  splendid,  and  should  be 
encouraged  at  every  opportunity.  The  education  of  the  growing  generation  will  mean  much  toward  solving 
some  of  the  problems  that  now  beset  the  Department. 

WAGES,   SUPPLIES,    AND   RATIONS. 

The  question  of  payment  for  natives'  services  and  the  matter  of  how  much  and  what  supplies  and 
rations  should  be  furnished  to  them  by  the  Government  is  a  most  important  one.  The  conditions  in  the 
past,  brought  about  by  certain  circumstances  (some  beyond  the  control  of  the  Government),  have  made 
considerable  confusion  and  dissatisfaction.  We  want  to  help  these  men  and  women  to  be  more  self- 
reliant  and  responsible;  therefore  some  systematic  and  tangible  plan  must  be  worked  out  and  adhered 
to  which  will  make  them  realize  that  there  is  permanency  and  stability  to  the  system  on  which  they  depend 
for  their  livelihood.  Years  ago,  when  the  leasing  companies  were  carrying  on  commercial  killing  of  seals; 
the  natives  were  paid  so  much  per  skin.  In  other  words,  for  every  seal  they  killed  and  skinned  they 
received  a  stipulated  amount.  Along  with  the  reduction  in  the  number  of  seals  killed,  conditions  relative 
to  their  pay  and  supplies  or  rations  had  to  be  adjusted.  The  inaccessibility  of  the  islands  and  the  mis- 
understandings resulting  from  very  vague  reports  to  Washington  as  to  the  true  conditions  have  produced 
much  discomfort  on  both  sides.  Until  commercial  killing  is  resumed  it  is  no  doubt  a  fact  that  the  Gov- 
ernment must  to  some  extent  continue  to  furnish  food  and  clothing  without  cost  to  the  natives.  But  the 
matter  presents  itself  very  clearly  to  me  that  they  should  understand  what  they  are  to  receive  pay  for 
and  on  what  basis.  I  believe  it  is  as  necessary  to  encourage  these  Aleuts  to  better  work  as  it  is  to  encourage 
a  mechanic  in  the  city;  therefore,  those  that  are  skilled  should  receive  more  per  hour  than  the  younger 
or  unskilled  ones  who  do  not  understand  any  valuable  or  special  line  of  work.  I  feel  that  the  natives 
should  be  paid  hereafter  for  all  their  work  and  in  return  they  should  buy  all  their  supplies  and  rations 
from  the  Government.  When  commercial  killing  is  resumed  this  suggestion  can  be  carried  out  to  the 
letter;  but  until  the  time  arrives  when  there  will  be  enough  work  to  assure  their  earning  a  livelihood  a 
certain  amount  must  be  given  them  by  the  Government.  I  think  the  inauguration  of  such  a  system  will 
prove  very  advantageous  and  place  matters  on  a  better  business  basis,  and  be  satisfactory  to  every  one 
concerned.  The  old  system  now  in  vogue  of  charging  the  natives  33^3  per  cent  advance  on  all  supplies 
and  rations  purchased  by  them  is  wrong  and  should  be  abandoned. 

To-day  a  number  of  the  men  have  specific  duties  the  year  round,  such  as  attending  the  horses,  cows, 
reindeer,  boats,  etc.  These  men  are  much  underpaid.  For  example,  the  man  on  St.  Paul  Island  who 
attends  to  the  horses  and  cows,  and  who  works  long  hours,  receives  $15  per  month;  the  natives  who  attend 
to  the  boats  and  launches  are  worth  a  higher  wage  than  $5  per  month;  and  likewise  the  reindeer  herders, 
who  in  winter  sometimes  spend  days  looking  after  these  herds  and  seeing  that  they  are  all  right,  should 
receive  more  than  the  $2.50  per  month  apiece.  Not  only  are  the  wages  too  small  for  this  steady  and 
stipulated  work,  but  where  the  just  grievance  comes  is  in  the  fact  that  while  these  men  are  earning  such 
meager  salaries  per  month  other  men  on  the  islands  are  doing  work  at  25  cents  an  hour,  earning  more  in 
the  aggregate  than  these  men  get  for  specific  duties  which  are  likely  to  preclude  their  taking  part  in  the 
general  work. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


129 


NATIVE    BARABARA    AND    ALEUT    BOY,    ST.    PAUL    ISLAND. 


FUR   SEAL  BULL  AND   HAREM,   BRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


74025—15 9 


i3o  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

The  question  of  the  kind  of  supplies  and  rations  for  the  natives  is  important.  In  the  past  there  has 
been  a  tendency  to  ship  to  these  islands  material,  both  in  the  way  of  clothing  and  food,  that  was  imprac- 
ticable and  unsuitable.  In  the  future  this  practice  should  be  discontinued,  and  a  sufficient  amount  of 
proper  clothing  and  food  sent.  The  fact  that  they  have  plenty  of  seal  meat  must  not  mislead  or  give  the 
impression  to  those  who  do  not  understand  conditions  that  this  food  will  answer  all  their  needs.  It  does 
not  and  will  not  suffice  alone;  variety  is  just  as  essential  to  their  welfare  and  health  as  it  is  to  the  people 
living  in  the  States. 

OCCUPATIONS. 

The  matter  of  keeping  the  native  men,  women,  and  children  busy  is  a  perplexing  problem.  At  times 
of  the  year  there  is  comparatively  little  work  to  be  done.  Some  of  the  men  are  more  industrious  than 
others,  and  spend  their  time  making  different  kinds  of  artistic  trinkets  and  souvenirs  from  walrus  ivory, 
the  women  likewise  make  souvenirs  out  of  sea-lion  gut  and  throat;  and  even  the  children  help  with  both 
kinds  of  work ;  but  in  the  past  this  work  has  not  received  the  slightest  encouragement.  Furthermore, 
there  has  been  no  market  for  these  goods  except  as  men  from  Government  vessels  happened  to  land.  The 
Government  should  carefully  and  systematically  encourage  all  this  kind  of  work,  and  should  feel  it 
incumbent  to  create  not  only  an  outside  market  for  these  products  but  should  see  to  it  that  raw  material 
is  provided.  The  caretaker  or  superintendent  on  the  islands  should  be  instructed  to  notify  the  natives 
that  the  Government  will  furnish  the  working  material  at  cost  and  take  care  of  their  finished  articles, 
selling  them  and  making  a  return  to  the  makers.  Many  of  these  women  can  make  beautiful  and  valuable 
baskets  similar  to  those  much  sought  after  from  the  various  islands  of  the  Aleutian  group,  but  unfortu- 
nately the  same  grass  that  grows  on  those  islands  is  not  found  on  the  Pribilofs.  I  was  interested  especially 
in  this  feature  and  inquired  while  on  the  Aleutian  Reservation  if  it  were  possible  to  get  this  grass  and 
send  it  to  the  Pribilofs.  I  found  it  could  be  done.  This  is  a  matter  that  should  be  taken  up  early  next 
spring  with  the  idea  of  sending  a  supply  of  the  grass  during  the  summer. 

OFFICIAL   RECORDS. 

I  was  gratified  to  find  the  official  record  books  in  the  office  and  in  the  store  in  very  good  condition 
on  both  islands.  While  some  of  the  regulations  pertaining  to  the  administration  of  affairs  on  the  islands 
were  not  the  best,  the  conditions  resulting  were  generally  satisfactory;  and  where  they  lacked  or  needed 
adjustment  they  were  corrected,  and  the  results  have  shown  improvement. 

NEW   OFFICES   AND   SALARIES. 

The  most  important  factor  in  the  future  welfare  of  the  islands  is  having  proper  provisions  made  for 
responsible  Government  officials.  To-day  they  are  underpaid  and  have  more  or  less  hardship  and  humilia- 
tion to  endure.  Instead,  the  Government  should  offer  inducements  to  men  of  education,  integrity,  and 
ability,  making  it  an  incentive  and  an  honor  to  go  there.  The  office  of  agent  and  caretaker  should  be 
abolished  and  in  its  stead  a  superintendent  at  a  salary  of  $3,000  per  annum  placed  on  each  island.  The 
office  of  storekeeper  should  be  abolished  and  an  office  of  assistant  superintendent  at  a  salary  of  $2,000  per 
annum  created  for  each  island.  It  is  believed  that  the  affairs  of  the  islands  can  be  conducted  better  by 
having  individual  superintendents  for  each. 

From  the  closing  of  navigation  in  the  fall  of  each  year  until  the  opening  in  the  following  spring  these 
islands  are  cut  off  from  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  except  through  the  radio  service,  and 
this  period  is  a  long  and  trying  one  for  the  Government  employees  stationed  there.  But  with  the  appoint- 
ment of  these  officers,  one  might  be  spared  during  certain  months  of  each  year.  This  would  permit  each  in 
turn  to  secure  a  needed  change,  and  by  having  him  report  at  Washington  the  Department  would  be  better 
able  to  keep  in  close  touch  with  conditions  on  the  islands. 

The  fact  that  at  the  present  time  there  is  no  storekeeper  on  St.  George  Island  is  unfortunate.  Even 
though  there  are  fewer  natives  on  this  island  than  on  St.  Paul,  the  work  is  not  decreased  proportionately; 
in  fact,  much  of  the  general  routine  is  equal  to  that  on  the  other  island,  and,  under  present  conditions,  the 
caretaker  must  neglect  certain  other  features  of  the  work  in  order  to  look  after  the  store  accounts. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


131 


ST.   PAUL  VILLAGE   FROM    NEAR   BOAT   LANDING. 


/ 


ALEUT   CHILDREN,   ST.   PAUL   ISLAND. 


1 32  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

PHYSICIANS. 

The  need  for  competent  physicians  on  these  islands  is  very  definite,  and  there  is  the  most  urgent  need 
for  retaining  men  who  are  capable  and  ready  to  help  raise  the  physical  and  moral  condition  of  these  natives. 
Their  plight  in  many  cases  is  pitiable,  and  without  visiting  the  islands  it  is  hard  to  realize  that  with  only 
200  inhabitants  on  St.  Paul  and  with  only  a  few  over  100  on  St.  George  there  is  more  work  at  times  than 
the  physicians  can  attend  to,  even  on  the  smaller  island.  From  a  humane  standpoint,  as  well  as  because 
of  the  need  for  keeping  these  men  and  women  well  and  strong,  they  deserve  every  assistance  and  help  from 
the  Government.  Until  recent  instructions  were  given  there  was  no  place  outside  of  the  natives'  homes 
where  the  sick  could  be  treated  and  kept  under  the  constant  observation  of  the  physician.  This  has  been 
a  great  handicap  many  times,  not  only  because  the  physicians  should  have  had  serious  cases  close  enough 
to  care  for  them,  but  also  because  the  insanitary  and  ill-ventilated  condition  of  the  patients'  homes  has 
worked  against  their  recovery,  thus  making  it  doubly  difficult  for  the  physician.  On  St.  Paul  Island  this 
fall  a  small,  abandoned  building  was  moved  close  to  the  physician's  quarters,  placed  on  a  new  foundation, 
and  fixed  up  as  well  as  it  could  be  with  the  material  at  hand,  to  be  used  for  cases  that  needed  isolation 
and  special  care.  This  so-called  hospital  should  be  made  larger  and  fitted  out,  not  expensively,  but  with 
the  conveniences  that  would  prove  highly  helpful  from  every  standpoint  to  both  patients  and  attendants. 
To-day  the  physicians — medical-school  graduates — receive  but  $1,500  per  annum.  They  are  underpaid 
and  at  times  overworked.     An  advance  to  $2,000  would  be  wise  and  desirable. 

HOSPITAL  STEWARDS. 

It  is  urged  that  as  soon  as  practicable  an  appropriation  be  made  for  a  hospital  steward  for  each  island, 
to  act  as  nurse  and  assistant  to  the  physician  in  charge.  They  would  not  only  assist  with  operations 
and  care  for  serious  cases,  but  their  help  in  placing  and  keeping  the  natives'  houses  in  a  sanitary  condition 
would  prove  of  the  greatest  value.  I  suggest  for  them  a  salary  of  $1,000.  Beyond  the  facts  that  the 
natives  are  dependent  on  the  Government,  which  is  responsible  for  them,  and  that  from  a  humane  stand- 
point, as  men  and  women,  they  should  be  looked  after,  they  will  be  infinitely  more  valuable  to  the  United 
States  as  healthy  and  strong  people  than  as  the  sick  and  puny  specimens  which  many  of  them  are  to-day, 

due  largely  to  neglect. 

NEED  FOR  A  TEMPORARY  DENTIST. 

There  are  at  present  no  facilities  on  either  island  for  having  dental  work  performed.  This  causes 
an  unnecessary  hardship,  not  only  to  the  natives,  but  to  the  Government  officials  as  well.  A  competent 
dentist  should  be  sent  to  the  islands  each  summer  for  such  professional  work  as  might  be  required.  He 
should  be  given  a  temporary  appointment  and  paid  from  the  general  appropriation  covering  miscellaneous 
expenses  incurred  in  connection  with  the  administration  of  the  Pribilof  Islands. 

OFFICERS'    QUARTERS. 

The  Pribilof  Islands  are  a  valuable  asset  to  the  United  States,  being  worth  millions  of  dollars.  Their 
value  is  hard  to  estimate,  as  it  is  increasing  rapidly  every  year.  This  year's  experience  has  proved  the 
fact  that  the  Government  can  not  afford  longer  to  neglect  the  islands  by  not  placing  them  in  the  hands  of  the 
best  possible  people,  and  it  should  provide  for  them  adequate,  convenient,  and  sanitary  quarters,  such  as  it 
would  give  men  in  similar  posts  in  the  States.  Of  all  the  superintendent's  houses  I  have  seen  at  the  Gov- 
ernment hatcheries  throughout  the  United  States,  and  even  in  Alaska,  any  one  would  be  splendid  accom- 
modations for  the  staff  on  the  Pribilof  Islands,  compared  with  the  quarters  now  offered  employees  there. 

The  houses  occupied  by  the  Government  employees  on  St.  Paul  Island  known  as  the  "Company 
house"  and  the  "Government  house"  are  in  some  ways  a  disgrace.  The  lack  of  facilities  is  most  evident. 
There  are  no  bathrooms,  no  running  water,  and  both  houses  are  in  great  need  of  repair.  It  should  not  be 
asked  of  any  officer  of  the  United  States  Government  to  accept  the  inconvenience  or  put  up  with  the 
humiliations  imposed  on  those  who  go  to  the  Pribilof  Islands  to-day  in  the  interests  of  their  country. 
There  is  practically  no  privacy,  and  no  conditions  that  would  go  to  make  up  a  pleasant  and  attractive 
home.  There  is  most  urgent  need  for  new  officers'  quarters,  with  suitable,  restricted  and  private  quarters 
for  the  various  Government  officials,  so  they  will  not  be  inconvenienced  and  embarrassed  and  made 
uncomfortable,  as  under  the  present  conditions. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


133 


GORBATCH    ROOKERY,   ST.   PAUL   ISLAND. 


BRANDING   A   FUR   SEAL,   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


134  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

On  St.  George  Island,  where  the  population  is  about  half  as  large  as  on  St.  Paul,  the  natives  occupy 
similarly  crowded  quarters.  I  saw  some  greater  degree  of  cleanliness  than  on  St.  Paul,  but  many  of  the 
houses  are  overcrowded  and  should  be  enlarged;  in  other  cases  their  entire  removal  would  be  wise  and 
economical.  The  "Government  house"  and  the  "Company  house,"  like  those  on  St.  Paul,  are  in  need  of 
repair.  Not  only  is  there  necessity  for  new  quarters  for  officers  on  St.  George,  but  they  should  be  built 
with  proper  facilities  and  running  water.  To-day  the  inconveniences  are  evident  and  humiliating.  The 
old  storehouse  should  be  altered,  and  the  great  need  of  a  new  warehouse  is  apparent.  In  connection  with 
this  it  would  be  well  to  demolish  the  central  portion  of  the  old  warehouse,  known  as  the  bidarrah  house, 
leaving  the  salt  house  and  coal  house  as  separate  buildings,  to  face  north  and  south,  and  to  erect  a  ware- 
house between  or  alongside  of  them.  At  the  present  time  they  are  all  connected  as  one  building,  and 
the  dampness  from  the  salt  house  injures  everything  placed  in  the  building.  The  schoolhouse,  while 
temporarily  fixed  up  for  the  increased  number  of  children  who  must  be  afforded  the  advantages  of  an 
education,  should  be  enlarged.  There  were  five  pupils  this  year  who  had  no  desk  room,  and  in  this  emer- 
gency the  caretaker  was  instructed  to  prepare  such  desks  as  would  temporarily  carry  them  over  the 
winter. 

JANITOR  SERVICE. 

One  of  the  things  that  impressed  me  forcibly  is  that  so  little  was  known  or  understood  in  Washing- 
ton regarding  the  administration  of  affairs  on  these  islands.  The  Government  employees  in  charge  of 
the  islands,  and  even  guests  or  special  callers  in  the  Government  houses,  who  remain  on  these  islands, 
are  compelled  to  get  up  in  the  morning  and  make  their  own  fires,  and  take  out  ashes,  because  sufficient 
provision  has  not  been  made  for  janitors  to  do  this  and  other  similar  labor.  It  might  be  interesting  to  know 
that  on  account  of  the  prevailing  damp  and  chilly  weather,  a  fire  is  required  in  these  buildings  the  year 
round.  Not  thinking  for  a  moment  that  the  small  amount  could  not  be  used  from  the  general  fund,  orders 
were  given  to  employ  on  St.  Paul  Island  a  native  janitor  at  $15  a  month,  his  duties  to  consist  of  making 
fires,  carrying  out  ashes,  cleaning  windows,  sweeping,  hauling  coal  and  water;  in  fact,  doing  anything 
he  was  called  upon  to  do.  But  because  of  the  law,  my  order  was  declared  illegal.  This  native  was  not 
only  to  perform  the  above  duties,  but,  in  addition,  was  to  care  for  the  physician's  house,  keeping  his  fire 
burning  in  the  office,  which  is  but  essential  and  just.  The  physician  during  the  winter  months  is  often 
called  from  his  home,  perhaps  early  in  the  morning,  and  does  not  return  for  some  hours;  then  he  must 
come  into  a  cold  house,  clean  out  the  ashes,  and  make  a  fire.  This  is  another  evidence  of  false  economy, 
not  to  mention  the  injustice  to  the  men  in  the  employ  of  the  Government  who  have  more  important  things 
to  do  and  should  not  be  called  upon  to  do  this  menial  work. 

SEAL   MEAT. 

The  question  of  handling  the  seal  meat  after  the  skins  are  removed  is  most  interesting,  and  many 
points  are  involved.  In  the  past  the  careless  method  used  in  dividing  this  meat  among  the  natives  has 
caused  much  loss  and  a  scarcity  when  the  killings  were  small.  This  was  due  partly  to  the  fact  that  no 
system  was  used,  and  also  to  the  lack  of  ice  for  preserving  purposes.  While  on  St.  Paul  Island  I  looked 
into  the  matter  of  an  ice  house  to  keep  this  meat  for  future  use,  and  found  nothing  but  a  broken-down 
grass  hut  situated  over  a  mile  from  the  village.  Finding  lumber  that  was  practically  of  no  value,  in- 
structions were  given  to  erect  an  ice  house  at  once  so  that  a  sufficient  supply  could  be  placed  in  it  this 
winter  to  help  in  keeping  the  meat  another  summer  when  the  days  get  warmer.  Directions  were  also 
given  for  the  agent  to  appoint  a  capable  man  from  among  the  natives  as  a  butcher,  who  would  direct  the 
cutting  up  of  the  seal  carcasses  and  deal  the  meat  out  without  waste  to  the  natives  as  they  wanted  it. 

The  question  of  seal  meat  brought  up  two  more  important  features — first,  that  when  commercial 
killing  is  resumed  there  will  be  a  considerable  surplus,  and  after  the  natives  have  their  supply  for  the  year, 
enough  should  be  set  aside  and  prepared  as  jerked  or  dried  seal  meat  for  food  for  the  foxes  on  both  islands; 
and  second,  after  this  allotment  is  made,  there  will  be  in  time  to  come  many  hundreds  of  carcasses  in  ex- 
cess of  the  number  which  may  be  utilized  for  those  purposes.  I  was  attracted  by  the  taste  of  the  seal 
meat  and  could  see  a  possible  commercial  value  in  it  as  food.  For  example,  suppose  there  were  25,000 
carcasses  not  needed  for  the  natives  or  the  foxes.  I  believe  they  could  be  brought  down  to  the  States,  or 
even  to  southeastern  Alaska,  and  sold  at  a  profit  of  perhaps  $1  apiece.  This  meat  is  not  strongly  flavored, 
nor  in  any  way  unpleasant  to  the  taste  or  to  the  sight,  and  there  are  many  people  who  are  fond  of  game 
who  would  gladly  pay  the  price  in  a  first-class  hotel  for  a  seal  steak. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


i35 


VIEW    OF   ST.   PAUL  VILLAGE. 


INTERIOR   OF   RUSSIAN   GREEK   CHURCH,   ST.   PAUL   ISLAND. 


136  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

FOXES. 

The  question  of  the  foxes  on  the  islands  is  interesting,  as  the  prospects  are  bright.  On  St.  Paul  Island 
to-day  they  are  raised  at  very  little  expense  to  the  Government.  Owing  to  a  favorable  topographical 
feature — the  existence  of  a  large  beach  area — they  practically  feed  themselves.  The  question  of  the 
number  to  be  killed  each  year  should  be  decided  by  the  man  in  charge  on  each  island,  and  he  should  be 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  situation  and  know  what  the  resources  are  and  what  should  be  left  for  propa- 
gating purposes.  There  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  but  that  with  the  very  healthy  condition  that  obtains 
with  the  St.  Paul  herd  the  supply  on  this  island  can  be  increased. 

The  condition  of  the  fox  herd  on  St.  George  was,  unfortunately,  not  so  good.  Partly  owing  to  some 
fault  in  feeding,  a  great  many  died  the  previous  winter;  but  it  is  hoped  and  believed  that  the  trouble  is  now 
understood  and  will  not  occur  again.  On  account  of  the  many  steep  bluffs  and  the  fact  of  a  general  absence 
of  natural  food  for  these  foxes,  they  have  to  be  fed  during  the  winter  months.  It  is  planned  to  send  to 
this  island  some  new  breeding  stock  from  St.  Paul  Island,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  the  herd  should  not 
in  the  near  future  be  as  good  and  as  paying  as  the  one  on  St.  Paul,  though  perhaps  not  so  large. 

The  question  of  selling  a  portion  of  these  foxes  on  bids  to  those  who  care  to  embark  in  fox  farming  in 
Alaska  is  admirable,  but  it  should  be  done  with  discretion  and  in  no  way  interfere  with  the  future  supply 
on  each  island;  furthermore,  they  should  be  sold  only  to  people  who  are  engaged  in  legitimate  business  in 
Alaska,  and  not  used  for  shipping  outside  of  the  Territorial  limits. 

REINDEER. 

There  is  nothing  that  will  prove  more  beneficial  to  both  islands  than  the  already  established  herds  of 
reindeer.  On  June  30,  1914,  there  were  75  on  St.  Paul  Island  (51  old  and  24  young  ones)  and  58  on  St. 
George  Island  (37  old  and  21  young) .  They  are  all  doing  well,  have  an  abundance  of  food,  and  the  prospects 
are  bright  for  their  proving  of  great  benefit  to  the  natives  and  also  to  Government  officials. 

POSSIBILITY   OF   CATTLE   RAISING. 

An  item  in  connection  with  the  economic  resources  of  the  islands  that  impressed  me  very  much  is  the 
prevalence  during  four  or  more  months  of  the  year  of  a  most  luxuriant  growth  of  grass  upon  parts  of  both 
islands.  The  fact  that  the  reindeer  do  not  disturb  or  eat  it,  subsisting  principally  upon  the  reindeer  or 
white  moss,  suggested  the  question  as  to  whether  this  grass  could  not  be  utilized  in  the  summer  for  feeding  a 
certain  number  of  cattle,  by  cutting  a  portion  of  it  and  making  ensilage,  without  much  cost  to  the  Gov- 
ernment. A  few  hundred  dollars  would  assure  a  practical  trial,  which  might  mean  the  establishment  of  a 
herd  of  cattle  on  these  two  islands  that  would  be  not  only  beneficial  to  the  islands  but  another  source  of 
income  to  the  Government. 

ROADS   FOR   ST.   GEORGE   ISLAND. 

The  fact  that  there  is  no  road  on  St.  George  Island  is  unfortunate.  The  greatest  evil  of  this  is  that  the 
seals  have  to  be  driven  so  far  from  the  rookeries,  otherwise  the  natives  would  have  to  carry  the  carcasses 
and  skins.  The  present  driving  method  requires  much  time  and  is  also  detrimental  to  the  seals.  In  view 
of  these  facts,  it  would  seem  highly  desirable  that  two  first-class  mules  be  purchased  and  sent  to  St.  George 
Island  next  spring.  With  these  mules  the  natives  would  be  enabled  to  construct  roads  which  would  be 
very  advantageous,  as  already  outlined,  besides  giving  work  to  the  men. 

SUPPLY  SHIP. 

The  question  of  chartering  a  ship  to  carry  supplies  from  the  States  to  the  Pribilof  Islands  each  year  is  a 
serious  one.  It  has  cost  the  Government  more  than  $100,000  in  five  years  to  make  these  trips.  Thirty- 
five  per  cent  of  this  cost  is  incurred  because  of  the  antiquated  and  impracticable  manner  of  un'oading  the 
supplies.  To  give  those  who  are  not  familiar  with  conditions  an  insight  as  to  how  the  supply  ship  is 
unloaded,  I  will  explain.  The  vessel  lies  offshore  from  one-half  mile  to  one  and  one-quarter  miles,  neces- 
sitating trips  of  a  small,  slow  launch  to  draw  a  bidarrah,  or  native  skin  boat,  back  and  forth  from  this 
vessel.  Fair  progress  is  made  if  the  water  is  still  and  nothing  arises  to  hinder  the  trips,  but  quiet  days  are 
not  common,  and  the  result  is  that  for  days  at  a  time  no  unloading  can  be  done,  the  consequence  being  that 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


i37 


SEA   LIONS   IN   WATER   AT   SEA   LION    ROOKERY,   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


NATIVE   METHOD   OF   CURING    SEA   LION   SKINS,   PRIBILOF   ISLANDS. 


BIDARRAH   MADE  FROM   17  SEA   LION  SKINS.     THE  WHITE  MARKINGS  ARE  NOT  SYMBOLIC  SIGNS,  BUT 

INDICATE  PATCHES.     ST.   PAUL  ISLAND. 


138 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


the  supply  ship  lies  at  anchor  at  a  cost  to  the  Government  of  $250  or  more  a  day.  It  took  23  days  to  unload 
this  vessel  at  both  islands  this  year.  The  sentimental  part  of  this  work — the  use  of  the  native  skin  boat — 
should  be  eliminated,  not  only  for  the  reason  set  forth,  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  bidarrahs  are  expensive 
to  build  and  maintain,  requiring  a  large  number  of  sea-lion  skins  for  their  construction,  and  more  or  less 
repairs  are  necessary  every  year. 

AERIAL   CABLE   FOR   UNLOADING   SHIPS. 

To  improve  existing  conditions  it  would  appear  feasible  to  erect  at  both  St.  Paul  and  St.  George  Islands 
an  aerial  cable  that  will  permit  the  unloading  of  supplies  from  a  vessel  in  a  total  of  four  or  five  days  for 
both  islands.  The  cost  of  installing  these  cables  would  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  $25,000,  and  as  the 
unloading  under  the  present  system  has  been  costing  from  $6,000  to  $7,000  per  year,  it  can  be  seen  at  a 
glance  that  the  Government  would  soon  be  repaid  for  the  installation  of  this  new  system.  It  would  also 
prove  of  advantage  when  commercial  killing  of  seals  is  resumed,  for  the  ship  that  would  bring  the  skins 
down  to  the  States  to  be  sold  by  the  Government  could  take  aboard  the  casks  containing  the  skins  directly 
from  the  shore  by  means  of  these  cables,  thereby  obviating  taking  the  shipment  out  to  the  vessel  by  many 
trips  of  smaller  boats.  If  this  suggestion  seems  a  good  one,  it  would  be  advisable  to  erect  one  of  these 
cables  at  St.  Paul  Island  first.  The  plan  for  handling  cargo,  as  here  suggested,  is  entirely  feasible  and 
practicable,  as  shown  by  similar  practices  in  vogue  elsewhere. 


1*1 

lis! 

si  s 

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si       1     is  §  £       1 

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LIGHTERS   FOR   UNLOADING   SHIPS. 

Another  method  which  is  feasible  and  which  would  be  better  than  the  one  in  vogue  is  the  use  of  lighters 
in  landing  supplies  from  the  vessels.  For  this  purpose  at  least  three  20-ton  lighters  should  be  constructed 
for  each  of  the  two  islands,  and  there  should  also  be  one  new  launch  for  each  island  for  towing  purposes. 
This  equipment  could  be  used  to  supplement  the  bidarrahs  and  old  launches  now  in  use.  The  total  cost  of 
these  lighters  is  estimated  at  $5,000  and  the  two  launches  would  cost  approximately  $3,000  each. 

MIDWINTER   SUPPLY   SHIP. 

The  question  of  landing  supplies  leads  to  another  feature  in  the  vessel  question.  It  occurs  to  me  that 
it  would  be  very  wise  if  the  Government  would  arrange  for  a  vessel  to  go  to  the  Pribilof  Islands  in  January 
or  February  of  each  year.  The  moral  effect  would  be  very  good ;  it  would  be  an  incentive  and  help  to  the 
Government  officials  as  well  as  to  the  natives.  Fresh  supplies  as  well  as  mail  could  be  sent  and  the  monotony 
of  the  long  winter  would  be  broken  to  a  considerable  extent.  On  the  whole,  it  would  prove  highly  beneficial 
at  both  ends  and  not  be  very  costly  to  the  Government. 

LANDING   REGULATIONS. 

The  matter  of  landing  on  the  islands  should  receive  more  consideration.  Stricter  regulations  should 
be  made  permitting  nobody  but  duly  authorized  officials  of  the  Government  to  land,  and  when  it  is  necessary 
for  crews  or  parts  of  crews  to  come  ashore  the  contents  of  all  packages  they  take  back  should  be  examined 
by  the  one  in  charge  of  each  island.  And  it  is  just  as  important  that  the  contents  of  packages  brought 
ashore  by  the  crews  should  be  scrutinized  by  the  commanding  officer  of  the  vessel,  for  report  that  liquor 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


i39 


BIDARRAH    BEING   TOWED   BY   LAUNCH,   ST.   PAUL   ISLAND. 


FUR  SEAL  ROOKERY  ON   PRIBILOF  ISLANDS. 


140  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

has  been  brought  to  the  natives  should  not  occur  as  in  the  past,  and  on  account  of  considerable  controversy 
over  the  question  of  the  illegal  handling  of  fox  and  fur-seal  skins  the  inspection  of  all  packages  taken  away 
from  the  islands  would  eliminate  further  criticism. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

The  whole  Pribilof  Islands  problem  may  be  summarized  thus:  //  moral,  intellectual,  and  general  condi- 
tions are  to  be  improved;  if  the  business  of  the  islands  is  to  be  carried  on  along  businesslike  lines  {and  surely 
the  proposition  of  these  islands,  including  the  fur-seal  and  fox  herds,  is  largely  commercial) ,  then  the  situation 
must  be  viewed  from  an  entirely  different  standpoint  than  hitherto;  for  the  returns  the  Government  is  to  receive 
from  its  investment  warrant  the  expenditure  of  a  sum  of  money  large  enough  to  give  the  officials  of  the  Govern- 
ment and  the  natives  civilized  surroundings,  and  provide  adequate  means  and  necessary  facilities  to  accom- 
plish a  proper  administration  of  the  affairs  of  these  islands. 

ADDRESSES   TO   NATIVES. 

Following  are  my  addresses  to  the  natives  on  both  islands,  made  just  before  leaving  them:0 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  NATIVE  MEN  OP  ST.   GEORGE  ISLAND,  IN  THE  NATIVE  CLUBHOUSE,   ST.   GEORGE  SETTLEMENT,  JULY  17,   1914. 

Citizens  of  St.  George  Island: 

I  consider  it  a  great  honor  to  be  able  to  address  you  this  evening.  Back  in  my  home,  near  Washington,  D.  C,  before  I  ever  came  to 
the  Pribilof  Islands,  I  often  wondered  if  I  ever  would  have  the  pleasure  of  visiting  you  myself.  And  to  have  my  wish  come  true  greatly 
pleases  me.     It  gratifies  me  more  than  I  can  tell  you  that  I  am  here  to  see  you  in  your  own  homes. 

I  can  not  tell  you  how  much  pleasure  it  afforded  me  yesterday  when  I  visited  most  of  your  homes.  All  of  them  were  so  clean  and  so 
homelike  that  it  pleased  me  beyond  words.  The  wife  and  the  mother  make  the  home,  but  the  husband  and  son  have  got  to  help  toward 
making  it  bright  and  cheerful. 

I  was  pleased  to  go  into  your  schoolhouse.  There  is  no  greater  obligation  on  the  fathers  and  mothers  to-day  than  having  the  children 
learn  the  English  language.  If  you  want  your  boys  and  your  girls  to  grow  up  and  be  good  citizens  of  the  United  States  you  must  send 
them  to  school  and  teach  them  the  English  language,  and  I  want  you,  as  the  citizens  of  St.  George,  to  see  that  your  sons  and  daughters 
go  to  school  and  do  their  best  to  learn. 

Next,  I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  the  morality  on  this  island.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  man  here,  above  everything  else,  to  protect 
his  wife  and  daughter.  It  is  the  law  of  our  country,  of  which  we  are  a  part,  that  our  women  shall  be  protected.  You  must  protect  your 
womanhood  from  any  wrong  among  them,  and  you  will  have  protection  from  the  United  States  Government  against  any  bad  white  men. 

I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  drinking;  that  is,  drunkenness.  Liquor — beer  and  whiskey — used  for  pleasure,  hurts  the  body  and  the 
brain.  The  law  provides  that  when  you  are  sick  or  have  sickness  in  the  family  the  doctor  will  give  you  what  you  need.  That  is  all 
right;  but  drunkenness  can  not  be  allowed,  because  it  is  against  the  law  of  the  United  States.  It  doesn't  do  you  any  good,  and  it  is  a 
bad  example  to  your  children. 

The  man  on  this  island  who  is  responsible  to  the  United  States  Government  is  the  agent  and  caretaker.  There  is  no  man  whom  you 
should  try  to  help  more  than  this  one.  He  has  your  interests  at  heart.  He  wants  to  help  you.  He  wants  to  help  your  families.  He 
wants  to  build  you  up  all  he  can,  but  you  must  listen  to  him  and  obey  him  and  do  as  he  directs.  On  the  other  hand,  when  you  have  any- 
thing you  think  is  not  right,  you  have  a  way  to  bring  it  to  him,  and  that  is  through  the  chief  of  your  tribe. 

You  have  elected  your  chief  because  you  believe  in  him.  You  believe  he  is  an  honorable  man  who  will  do  right  by  you.  And  when 
he  is  doing  right  by  you  he  is  not  only  helping  your  interests,  but  he  is  doing  his  duty  by  the  United  States.  I  am  sure  your  worthy 
chief  and  his  assistants  are  going  to  try  harder  to  help  the  agent  by  cooperating  with  him. 

I  want  to  say  a  word  to  you  about  your  doctor.  Do  you  realize  what  he  means  to  you  and  your  family?  You  should  do  everything 
possible  to  make  his  work  easy  and  light.  You  should  see  that  his  orders  in  the  sick  room  are  carried  out,  and  do  what  he  tells  you  to  do, 
because  it  is  for  your  interests  and  your  family's  interests. 

I  know  I  bring  the  good  will  and  the  best  wishes  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Wilson,  and  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce , 
Mr.  Redfield,  and  of  my  associate,  Dr.  Smith,  and  when  I  go  home  with  a  report  of  this  island  and  what  you  and  your  families  need  they 
are  going  to  listen  to  me,  and  they  are  going  to  try  and  help  you  further. 

I  want  to  thank  you  for  asking  me  to  speak  to  you.  I  consider  it  an  honor,  and  when  I  come  back  here  again  I  hope  to  find  you  have 
done  a  lot  to  help  this  island.     Thank  you. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  MEN  OF  ST.  PAUL  ISLAND,  IN  THE  SCHOOLHOUSE,  ST.  PAUL  SETTLEMENT,  JULY  20,   1914. 

Citizens  of  St.  Paul:  ■ 

It  is  a  great  honor  to  be  with  you  this  evening.  I  can't  tell  you  what  a  great  pleasure  it  is  to  come  all  the  way  up  here  from  Wash- 
ington and  have  this  talk  with  you. 

I  have  often  looked  at  your  islands  on  the  map  in  the  books  down  in  my  State  and  wished  I  could  be  with  you,  and  now  I  am  here, 
as  I  have  often  wanted  to  be. 

I  want  to  talk  to  you  about  things  that  are  of  great  interest  to  you  and  which  concern  you  and  your  families  and  the  United  States 
Government. 

I  don't  want  you  to  think  that  anything  I  say  is  said  with  any  unkindness,  because  I  come  here  as  a  representative  of  the  United 
States  Government.     I  want  to  speak  to  you  first  about  your  homes,  your  houses.     There  is  nothing  you  should  have  brighter  than  a 

"  Repetitions  and  unusual  construction  of  sentences  in  these  addresses  are  due  to  difficulty  in  making  native  interpreter  understand  me. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


141 


BIDARRAH    LOADED   WITH   SUPPLIES   LANDING   AT   ST.   PAUL   ISLAND. 


NATIVES   UNLOADING   SUPPLIES   AT   LANDING,   ST.   PAUL   ISLAND. 


142  REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 

clean  home.     It  is  the  means  of  keeping  a  good  wife  good.     It  is  the  means  of  bringing  your  children  up  in  the  right  way,  and  it  is  the 
means  of  happiness  and  health. 

I'm  glad  to  say  that  some  of  you  men  and  your  wives  are  setting  a  good  example,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  some  of  your  houses  are 
not  as  clean  as  they  ought  to  be. 

It  is  not  too  late  to  correct  this,  and  I  want  those  who  haven't  clean  houses  to  help  their  wives  to  correct  it. 

Now  I  want  to  tell  you  who  can  help  you  do  this;  it  is  your  doctor  and  physician.  He  is  put  up  here  by  the  United  States  as  a 
Government  official.  He  knows  what  is  best  for  you  and  what  you  need  in  your  homes  to  keep  you  healthy  and  also  to  get  you  well  when 
sick. 

You  must  not  take  any  offense  at  anything  he  tells  you  to  do,  because  he  has  yotir  interests  at  heart.  I  ask  you  to  go  home  and  tell 
the  family  to  help,  so  as  to  make  your  lot  happier  and  better. 

Now  I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  your  school.  There  is  nothing  any  more  important  than  giving  your  sons  and  daughters  an 
education.  This  is  offered  to  them  without  cost.  I  want  to  tell  you  that  the  English  language  is  as  necessary  for  your  children  as  any 
thing  in  this  world,  if  they  are  going  to  be  United  States  citizens.  The  man  and  the  woman  that  can  speak  the  best  English  are  the  ones 
that  can  get  the  best  wages.     I  want  you  to  do  everything  with  your  children  to  get  them  to  school  regularly  so  they  can  learn. 

The  next  thing  I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  is  the  morality  of  your  community.  There  is  nothing  that  will  ruin  any  place  so  quickly 
as  immorality  between  men  and  women. 

It's  your  duty  as  fathers,  as  husbands,  as  brothers,  to  see  that  your  women  are  protected.  And  you  can't  expect  them  to  be  loyal  to 
you  unless  you  do  protect  them.  You  have  a  way  of  doing  this.  You  have  the  agent  to  complain  to  and  the  laws  of  the  United  States 
will  protect  you.  And  I  want  to  tell  you,  furthermore,  that  the  United  States  is  not  going  to  allow  any  white  man  to  disturb  the  sanc- 
tity of  your  homes. 

I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  your  drinking.  Drink  is  the  cause  of  the  breaking  up  of  more  homes  than  anything  else  in  the  whole 
world.  The  instruction  sent  out  here  was  that  nobody  is  authorized  to  give  anyone  a  drink  except  the  authorized  doctor.  The  drunken 
man  is  a  breaker  up  of  the  home.  He  sets  a  bad  example  for  growing  sons  and  daughters,  and  what  good  does  he  do  himself?  It's 
against  the  law  for  you  to  make  beer;  it's  not  allowed  anywhere  else  in  the  United  States  without  a  license.  I've  got  to  ask  you  in  the 
name  of  the  Government  not  to  do  it  any  more.  If  you  continue  to  do  it,  which  I  hope  you  won't,  it  will  be  necessary  to  stop  the 
supply  on  the  island  of  everything  you  use  in  this  beer. 

I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  your  duty  to  the  agent.  He  represents  the  United  States  and  he  is  responsible  for  the  way  affairs  are 
conducted  on  this  island.  He  has  your  interests  at  heart;  I  know  he  wants  to  do  the  very  best  he  can  for  you,  but  I  ask  that  you  do 
your  part  and  come  to  him  when  things  don't  look  right,  and  then  to  obey  him. 

You  have  a  chief;  you  have  elected  him  the  chief  because  you  believe  in  him.  He  has  an  honorable  position  and  I'm  sure  he  is 
going  to  do  his  duty  to  you  as  well  as  to  the  United  States.  And  I  want  to  say  to  your  chief  that  it  is  his  duty  and  right  to  see  that  the 
things  I  am  speaking  about  to  you  are  carried  out;  but  let  him  do  it  by  going  to  the  agent  and  talking  it  over  in  a  proper  way.  And  I  ask 
you  and  your  families  to  support  the  agent  and  the  chief  on  this  island  and  make  a  better  return  than  ever  before. 

I  want  to  speak  now  about  a  matter  I  know  is  of  interest  to  you  all,  and  that  is  matters  relating  to  your  pay. 

While  the  commercial  killing  of  seals  is  not  going  on,  you  men  and  your  families  get  paid  the  same.  Don't  forget  this  now,  men,  when 
you  are  called  on  to  do  anything  you  must  do  it  cheerfully  and  willingly  when  the  agent  and  the  chief  call  on  you.  Do  you  ever  real- 
ize that  this  very  cargo  you  are  unloading  is  your  own  food?  And  yet  you  are  getting  paid  25  cents  an  hour  for  unloading  it;  you  get 
your  coal  to  burn  in  your  stoves;  you  get  your  oil.  I'm  not  speaking  in  unkindness,  but  you  must  understand.  I  don't  want  this 
done  away  with  right  now,  but  I  want  you  to  appreciate  it  and  to  do  your  best  by  helping  in  everything  that  is  done  on  the  island. 

The  work  on  the  streets,  the  roads,  the  trails,  tne  storehouse,  schools,  and  water  system  are  community  work  and  must  be  attended  to. 

The  Company  house,  the  Government  house,  and  other  buildings  used  exclusively  by  the  Government  officials  will  be  repaired  by 
you  as  usual,  and  for  such  service  you  will  receive  pay  as  heretofore.  The  warehouse,  the  shop,  and  the  salt  house  belong  to  you  and 
these  should  be  community  work  just  the  same  as  anything  to  do  with  the  seals. 

I  want  to  tell  you  something  that  you  may  not  realize.  You  get  about  $300 — some  more,  some  less — out  of  the  store  each  year. 
I  want  to  tell  you  how  much  work  you  do  for  that;  you  do  less  than  four  days  each  year  a  man.  I  want  to  tell  you  how  much  that  is 
a  day;  it's  over  $80  a  day.     I  just  tell  you  that  to  show  you  that  you  haven't  much  to  complain  of  and  I'm  sure  you  will  agree  with  me. 

I  want  to  speak  of  something  else  that  is  very  serious  and  a  matter  that  the  United  States  will  not  stand  for.  It's  a  prison  offense 
and  I  want  to  tell  you  that  the  first  man  caught  doing  it  must  leave  the  island.  It's  killing  of  seals  illegally.  You  can  have  all  the  seal 
meat  you  want  to  eat;  that's  what  we  are  killing  the  seals  for  to-day — your  food;  but  I  know  last  year  a  great  number  of  you  killed 
puppy  seals.  It  doesn't  matter  much  now  who  it  was;  it  can't  make  any  difference;  we'll  forget  the  past.  I  do  know  several  men 
who  did  it,  but  they  are  not  going  to  be  punished  now;  but  don't  do  it  any  more.  When  you  need  meat  tell  the  agent.  It's  to  your  inter- 
est to  protect  the  seals  as  much  as  anybody — you  get  the  meat.  I'm  going  to  put  everyone  of  you  on  your  honor  now;  never  break  the 
law  again. 

There  is  one  thing — it  came  to  my  ears  that  foxes  have  been  killed.  No  foxes  shall  be  killed  unless  authorized  by  the  agent;  and  this 
is  against  the  law  also. 

The  President  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Wilson;  the  Secretary  of  Commerce,  Mr.  Redfield;  my  associate,  Dr.  Smith,  send  greet- 
ings  to  you  and  wish  you  success  and  want  me  to  tell  you  that  they  wish  to  help  you. 

Finally,  let  me  say  that  I  want  to  help  you  on  this  island;  you  are  a  part  of  the  United  States  just  the  same  as  I  am,  and  you  must 
do  your  part. 

I  want  to  say  again  that  I  appreciate  your  asking  me  to  speak  to  you.  When  I  go  back  I  will  better  understand  your  affairs,  and  if  I 
can  help  you  in  any  way  I  will  do  it. 

If  there  are  any  questions  you  want  to  ask  now,  I  will  be  glad  to  hear  from  you— the  chief  first,  and  after  that  his  men. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA  INVESTIGATIONS. 


H3 


WILD  BLUE  FOX,  ST.  GEORGE  ISLAND. 


ONE   HUNDRED  AND   SEVENTY-FIVE   BLUE  AND   WHITE  FOXES,  A   SEASON'S  TAKE  ON   ST.   PAUL   ISLAND. 


144 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA    INVESTIGATIONS. 


MURRES   (ARRA)   ON    THEIR    BREEDING    GROUND,    WALRUS    ISLAND. 


MURRES    (ARRA)    ON    WALRUS    ISLAND,    PRIBILOF    GROUP.      NOTE    THEIR    YOUNG    AND    EGGS    IN 

FOREGROUND. 


REPORT   OF   ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


145 


OLD    ICE    HOUSE    MADE   OF   SOD,  ST.  PAUL   ISLAND. 


74025—15 10 


146  REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

SOME  NEEDS  OF  ALASKA. 

The  needs  of  Alaska  are  many,  but  some  are  so  self-evident  as  to  force  themselves  upon  one's  attention. 
I  had  an  excellent  opportunity  on  my  trip  this  past  summer  to  observe  these  conditions  and  to  answer 
questions  pertaining  to  them. 

CHARTING   AND   LIGHTING   ALASKA'S   COAST. 

The  greatest  need  of  Alaska  is  the  charting  of  her  coast.  The  fact  that  to-day  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment has  many  vessels  going  to  and  fro,  in  and  out  of  Alaskan  ports  and  waters,  vessels  of  the  Revenue- 
Cutter  Service,  the  Navy,  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  the  Bureau  of  Lighthouses,  and  the  Bureau  of 
Fisheries,  to  say  nothing  of  the  fleet  of  commercial  vessels,  makes  one  wonder  that  the  Government  is 
willing  to  so  constantly  risk  many  lives  and  such  valuable  property  in  uncharted  and  dangerous  waters. 
Many  of  the  waters,  especially  in  western  Alaska,  are  not  charted,  and  although  there  are  many  very 
dangerous  points  there  are  almost  no  lighthouses.  One  hardly  realizes  the  vast  amount  of  shore  line — 
about  26,000  miles,  or  more  than  the  total  coast  line  of  all  the  States  of  the  country  bordering  on  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  With  the  exception  of  a  lighthouse  on  Hinchinbrook 
Island  and  two  at  Unimak  Pass,  there  are  no  lighthouses  from  Icy  Strait  to  Nome,  a  distance  of  nearly 
3,000  miles,  and  the  region  thus  neglected  is  traveled  yearly  by  many  fishing  and  passenger  vessels.  In 
view  of  this  condition,  it  seems  remarkable  that  there  have  not  been  more  shipwrecks.  In  recent  years 
there  have  been  lost  over  500  lives  and  property  valued  at  over  $8,000,000.  I  saw  several  wrecks  of  vessels 
serving  as  landmarks,  and  it  emphasized  to  me  the  fact  that,  to  insure  her  development  Alaska  needs  to 
safeguard  her  waters,  which  are  the  gateway  to  her  vast  riches. 

Lighthouses  are  important;  but  there  is  also  the  urgent  and  absolute  need  for  wire-drag  operations 
on  the  Alaskan  coast,  for  the  purpose  of  locating  the  many  unknown  pinnacle  rocks  which  are  so  fatal  to 
safe  navigation.  This  comes  home  to  me,  for  I  myself  encountered  such  dangers,  increased  by  much  fog 
and  storm.  Three  vessels  this  season  went  to  the  bottom  by  striking  these  pinnacle  rocks  and  uncharted 
reefs — the  United  States  revenue  cutter  Tahoma,  the  ship  Parameta,  and  the  Gayhead,  worth  approximately 
$500,000.  It  seems  marvelous  that  others  escape,  though  many  do  not  entirely.  I  heard  of  a  number 
this  summer  that  "scraped"  or  "touched"  pinnacle  rocks.  Absolutely  no  other  method  but  the  drag 
can  locate  these  peaked  mountains  hidden  under  the  water. 

ARE  THE  FISHING  INTERESTS  TO  LEAVE  THE  UNITED  STATES? 

There  is  another  vital  matter  for  Alaska's  consideration  regarding  the  protection  of  certain  features 
of  her  fishing  industry.  Seattle  is  at  present  the  fishing  center  of  the  Pacific  coast,  but  is  being  hard 
pressed  to  hold  this  place,  as  Prince  Rupert,  British  Columbia,  only  90  miles  from  Ketchikan,  and  a 
terminus  of  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific  Railroad,  bids  fair  to  become  a  formidable  rival  for  the  Alaska  trade. 
The  fulfillment  of  such  a  prophecy  is  not  far  off.  In  fact,  it  is  close  at  hand,  and  unless  something  is  done 
in  the  way  of  correcting  certain  conditions  relative  to  the  handling  of  salmon,  halibut,  and  other  fishes 
after  they  are  caught  there  will  be  serious  loss  in  business  and  trade  between  Alaska  and  the  States.  I 
mean  by  this  that  the  American  boats,  their  fishermen,  their  base  of  supplies,  and  the  shipping  and 
receiving  point  for  most  of  their  fish  will  be  in  foreign  waters  instead  of  within  our  own  boundaries.  I 
have  thought  of  several  solutions  for  this  approaching  condition.  To-day  Prince  Rupert  is  offering  every 
inducement  to  the  fishing  interests  to  come  there,  establish  their  plants,  and  make  it  their  permanent 
home,  sites  being  offered  at  practically  no  cost.  Furthermore,  fish  may  now  be  shipped  into  Prince 
Rupert  from  Ketchikan  and  from  farther  north  for  $1.50  a  ton,  while  it  costs,  including  wharfage  fees, 
$4  a  ton  to  effect  delivery  at  Seattle  from  Ketchikan  and  points  north  of  there. 

The  railroads  can  help  largely  to  overcome  the  first  problem  by  offering  terminal  rates  to  the  people 
who  are  shipping  from  Alaska.  This  applies  especially  to  shipments  from  southeastern  Alaska.  Unless 
this  is  done,  they  can  not  expect  to  compete  with  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific,  or  in  fact  with  any  of  the  other 
Canadian  railroads.  The  present  situation  and  what  it  is  leading  to  is  deplorable  and  should  be  dealt 
with  promptly  and  with  the  seriousness  it  deserves. 

One  of  the  possible  ways  of  overcoming  this  anticipated  difficulty  is  for  Congress  to  pass  a  law  requir- 
ing all  American  bottoms  to  deliver  their  fish  at  American  ports.     But  if  this  is  done,  assistance  in  the 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


i47 


WRECK   OF  A   CANNERY    SHIP,   WESTERN    ALASKA. 


UNGA,  THE  CENTER   OF  THE  CODFISH    INDUSTRY   IN   THE  SHUMAGIN    ISLANDS.      ITS   GREATEST   PRESENT   NEED    IS  A 

GOVERNMENT    RADIO    STATION. 


148  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

shape  of  equally  cheap  freight  rates  will  have  to  be  granted  by  American  interests.  For  example,  can 
anyone  conceive  of  the  Canadian  Government  allowing  a  Montreal  concern  to  establish  itself  at  Seattle, 
send  its  Canadian  boats  and  Canadian  fishermen  up  into  Canadian  waters  to  fish,  and  come  back  to  Seattle 
to  pack  their  fish  and  then  ship  them  over  an  American  railroad  to  an  eastern  point  in  Canada  ?  That  is 
just  what  is  going  to  be  done  with  regard  to  American  boats  and  fishing  industry,  if  we  do  not  take  some 
action  at  once. 

COAL   AND   SUPPLY    BASE. 

The  question  is  often  asked,  Where  do  Government  vessels  get  their  coal  and  other  supplies  ?  At  the 
present  time  Unalaska  is  the  base  at  which  revenue  cutters  and  other  Government  vessels  buy  a  large 
amount  of  their  coal  and  other  supplies.  At  this  place  the  Government  has  paid  thousands  of  dollars  to 
a  private  company  for  coal  transported  from  Australia,  besides  incurring  other  expenses  in  paying  for 
privileges  received.  The  price  of  coal  this  year  was  $i  2.75  a  ton.  It  is  also  necessary  for  all  vessels  to  dock 
at  a  private  wharf  and  accept  all  courtesies  in  connection  therewith.  In  addition,  the  harbor  is  very  bad, 
and  the  only  means  of  getting  in  to  this  wharf  is  by  a  very  narrow  and  crooked  channel,  which  is  more  or 
less  hazardous  to  a  vessel  of  any  size.  However,  some  favorable  point  in  the  Aleutian  Peninsula  is  the 
natural  base  of  supply  and  is  the  place  for  a  coming  town,  for,  because  of  the  isolation  of  this  region  and 
its  close  proximity  to  the  Pribilof  Islands,  it  necessarily  becomes  a  point  of  interest  and  value  to  Govern- 
ment vessels  and  commercial  ships. 

Close  to  Unalaska,  in  fact  almost  in  sight,  is  Dutch  Harbor,  the  old  home  and  village  of  the  North 
American  Commercial  Co.,  where  now  the  Government  wireless  station  is  located.  At  the  present  time 
this  place  is  practically  abandoned.  It  seems  highly  advisable  that  the  Government  should  negotiate  at 
an  early  date  for  the  purchase  of  the  North  American  Commercial  Co.'s  buildings,  which  are  in  a  fair  state 
of  preservation.  The  harbor  is  excellent,  far  better  and  safer  for  large  vessels  desiring  to  dock  there  than 
at  Unalaska.  There  is  an  abundance  of  excellent  water,  which  Unalaska  lacks.  There  are  also  good 
buildings  for  living  quarters  for  various  Government  officials.  The  headquarters  of  the  Bering  Sea  fleet 
of  the  United  States  Revenue-Cutter  Service  is  at  Unalaska  and  a  number  of  the  officers  are  stationed 
there  a  part  of  the  year.  The  living  quarters  afforded  them  are  greatly  crowded,  and  at  the  same  time  rent 
is  paid  that  is  hardly  justifiable  from  an  economic  standpoint.  It  would  therefore  be  well  if  the  head- 
quarters of  these  officers  could  be  transferred  to  Government  buildings  at  Dutch  Harbor.  The  proposal 
to  furnish  suitable  quarters  to  the  men  and  their  families  who  are  isolated  in  this  western  country  is  war- 
ranted and  proper.  The  idea  of  making  Dutch  Harbor  an  ideal  Government  village  is  one  that  should 
be  encouraged,  and  the  opportunity  for  doing  so  now  presents  itself  as  it  may  not  again  for  some  time 
to  come. 

The  thousands  of  tons  of  coal  used  by  the  Government  vessels  that  now  enter  Unalaska,  if  trans- 
ported by  Government  vessels  or  colliers  and  furnished  from  Government  bins  at  Dutch  Harbor,  would 
cost  from  $6  to  $7  a  ton  instead  of  nearly  twice  as  much.  Such  a  move  as  suggested  would  be  economical, 
and  the  Government  would  soon  be  repaid  for  the  initial  expense  incurred. 

The  opening  of  the  Alaska  coal  mines  will  mean  a  great  saving  to  the  United  States  Government. 

GOVERNMENT   WHARF. 

Another  matter  that  was  brought  to  my  attention  was  the  absence  of  a  Government  wharf  at  Wrangell. 
When  a  Government  boat  arrives  there  for  coal  or  other  supplies,  it  must  go  to  a  private  dock  and  obligate 
itself  to  the  extent  of  buying  its  coal  and  perhaps  other  supplies  that  are  sold  at  too  high  a  price.  I  am 
safe  in  saying  that  if  the  Government  had  its  own  wharf,  which  is  perfectly  feasible,  and  marine  railways 
or  a  small  dry  dock  for  repairing  smaller  vessels,  a  great  deal  of  money  could  be  saved  in  the  course  of 
a  year,  in  addition  to  a  saving  of  about  $4  a  ton  on  coal  purchased. 

WIRELESS   STATION   AT   UNGA. 

One  of  the  greatest  needs  in  Alaska  came  to  my  attention  at  Unga  village,  on  Unga  Island,  the  largest 
of  the  Shumagin  Group.  This  prosperous  little  village  is  the  headquarters  and  home  of  most  of  the  men 
engaged  in  the  fast-growing  codfish  industry.  It  is  the  home  of  a  United  States  commissioner  and  a 
deputy  marshal,  and  the  jail  for  the  third  judicial  district  of  Alaska  is  located  there.     The  almost  complete 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


149 


U.   S.    REVENUE   CUTTER   "TAHOMA"    AT    UNALASKA    SHORTLY    BEFORE    BEING    WRECKED    AT   AGATTU    ISLAND. 


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SOME  OF  THE  WRECKS  OF  PASSENGER  AND  FISHING  VESSELS 
IN    ALASKAN    WATERS. 


WRECK  OF  U.  S.  REVENUE  CUTTER  "TAHOMA,"  WHICH  STRUCK 
AN  UNCHARTED  PINNACLE  ROCK  OFF  AGATTU  ISLAND, 
WESTERN    ALEUTIANS,    SEPTEMBER   20,    1914. 


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REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


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A    MOST   URGENT   NEED   FOR   ALASKA'S   DEVELOPMENT— MORE   LIGHTHOUSES. 


^RANGELL,   SUGGESTED   AS  SITE   FOR   GOVERNMENT   DRY  DOCK,   FUEL  STATION,  AND   WHARF. 


152 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 


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UNALASKA,    THE    PRESENT    BASE   OF   SUPPLIES    FOR   WESTERN    ALASKA. 


DUTCH    HARBOR   FROM    THE   BAY.      PROPOSED  AS  A   GOVERNMENT   BASE  OF  SUPPLIES   FOR  WESTERN   ALASKA. 


REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS.  153 

isolation  of  the  village  makes  its  greatest  need  a  wireless  station.  The  nearest  point  of  wireless  com- 
munication is  the  Unalga  Island  wireless  station,  or  the  Kodiak  wireless  station,  each  of  which  is  300  miles 
away.  During  the  summer  a  vessel  calls  there  every  month,  but  during  the  winter  sometimes  two  months 
elapse  without  a  call  from  the  mail  boat.  This  lack  of  communication  was  forcibly  impressed  on  me  by 
the  fact  that  a  ship  that  needed  help  last  summer,  because  of  difficulty  with  the  crew,  might  have  com- 
municated readily  with  this  island  and  received  help  sooner  than  it  did  had  there  been  a  wireless  station 
there. 

REINDEER. 

In  western  Alaska,  where  fresh  food  is  scarce  and  where  the  Aleuts  are  really  suffering  because  many 
former  opportunities  for  making  a  livelihood  are  no  longer  available,  there  is  nothing  that  will  fill  the 
need  better  than  reindeer  herds.  Everywhere  that  I  came  in  contact  with  places  where  they  were  estab- 
lished they  appeared  as  a  great  blessing  to  these  people  and  will  really  mean  their  chief  dependence  later. 
It  is  earnestly  hoped  that  the  Government  will  place  a  herd  of  these  valuable  animals  on  every  island 
inhabited  by  Aleuts  where  there  is  subsistence  for  them.     This  is  real  constructive  work. 

GENERAL  SUMMARY. 

In  the  foregoing  report  it  has  been  my  aim  to  bring  out  forcibly  the  main  issues  and  needs  in  con- 
nection with  the  fisheries  and  fur-bearing  animals  of  Alaska,  including  affairs  pertaining  to  the  Pribilof 
Islands.  Attention  has  also  been  called  briefly  to  a  few  highly  important  needs  of  the  Territory,  some 
of  which  are  but  indirectly  related  to  the  primary  subjects  of  my  investigation.  I  have  endeavored  to 
view  all  matters  from  the  standpoint  of  a  practical  business  man,  seeking  only  to  suggest  simple  and 
direct  methods  of  correcting  any  existing  evils  or  practices  observed,  and  at  the  same  time  to  indicate 
proper  needs  and  ways  and  means  for  building  up  and  expanding  Alaska's  interests  as  circumstances  may 
permit. 

The  fact  must  be  thoroughly  understood  and  emphasized,  however,  that  if  the  laws  made  by  Congress 
relative  to  the  protection  and  upbuilding  of  these  resources  are  to  be  enforced  it  is  absolutely  essential 
that  adequate  appropriations  be  made.  It  must  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Government  will  derive 
from  the  fishing  interests  concerned  in  this  economic  and  commercial  expansion  sufficient  revenue  in 
fishery  taxes  and  licenses  to  justify  adequate  appropriations  for  their  full  and  undivided  support. 

The  sum  herein  asked  for  to  cover  vessels,  increased  personnel,  and  other  needs  during  the  coming 
year  amounts  to  $218,000.  This  sum  would  be  largely  offset  by  receipts  from  increased  taxes  and  license 
fees,  estimated  under  proposed  schedules  to  be  about  $325,000  annually,  of  which  it  is  further  recommended 
that  30  per  cent  should  revert  to  the  protection  of  the  fisheries  of  Alaska. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The  following  recommendations  are  submitted: 

1.  That  full  control  of  the  fisheries  and  fur-bearing  animals  be  vested  in  the  Department  of  Com- 
merce. There  should  be  no  division  of  this  authority  with  other  Federal  departments  or  with  the  Terri- 
torial government. 

2.  That  Alaska  be  divided  into  five  districts  for  administrative  purposes. 

3.  That  herring  and  the  edible  portions  of  other  food  fishes  be  not  used  in  the  manufacture  of  fer- 
tilizer and  oil  and  that  all  plants  at  present  operating  contrary  to  this  requirement  be  closed  at  once. 

4.  That  there  be  a  just  and  fair  revision  of  the  schedule  of  taxes  on  fishery  products. 

5.  That  a  license  tax  be  imposed  upon  all  fishing  gear. 

6.  That,  in  addition  to  present  appropriations,  30  per  cent  of  the  license  fees  and  taxes  revert  to  the 
protection  of  the  fisheries. 

7.  That  markers  or  monuments  be  established  by  the  Government  to  fix  the  mouth  of  each  salmon 
stream. 

8.  That  all  power-boat  trolling  be  forbidden. 

9.  That  the  customs  authorities  refuse  to  issue  manifests  for  shipments  of  fishery  products  from 
Alaska  until  the  tax  has  been  paid. 

10.  That  falls  and  other  natural  barriers  in  certain  streams  be  removed. 


154  REPORT   OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS. 

ii.  That  at  least  five  new  Government  hatcheries  be  built  in  places  not  at  present  receiving  the 
benefit  of  fish-cultural  operations. 

12.  That  the  rebating  system  for  the  release  of  fry  from  private  hatcheries  be  discontinued  and  that 
all  hatcheries  be  operated  by  the  Government.  A  board  of  three  from  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries  should 
examine  these  private  hatcheries  with  the  view  of  determining  their  value  and  their  suitableness  for  future 
operation  by  the  Government. 

13.  That  the  taking  of  salmon  for  commercial  purposes  cease  each  season  after  certain  specified  dates, 
for  three  districts  in  southeast  Alaska,  as  follows:  Juneau  district,  August  20;  Wrangell  district,  September 
1;  and  the  Ketchikan  district,  September  10.  For  the  remainder  of  Alaska  the  closing  date  should  be 
August  10,  with  the  exception  of  Kodiak  Island,  which  should  be  August  25. 

14.  That  the  present  weekly  close  season  of  36  hours  be  increased  to  48  hours. 

15.  That  the  present  law  be  amended  so  as  to  prohibit  aliens  from  engaging  in  the  actual  catching 
of  fish. 

16.  That  no  fish  trap,  purse  seine,  or  haul  or  beach  seine  be  operated  within  half  a  mile  of  the  mouth 
of  any  salmon  stream. 

17.  That  the  leads  of  fish  traps  be  limited  to  a  maximum  length  of  2,500  feet,  except  in  Bering  Sea 
waters  and  tributaries,  where  a  maximum  length  of  3,000  feet  should  be  allowed. 

18.  That  the  lateral  distance  interval  between  all  fish  traps  be  at  least  4,000  feet,  and  that  the 
endwise  distance  between  traps  be  1 ,000  feet  or  more. 

19.  That  jiggers  on  fish  traps  be  limited  to  a  length  of  50  yards. 

20.  That  holders  of  fish-trap  sites  be  protected  in  their  rights,  but  that  no  permanent  title  to  such 
sites  be  allowed. 

21.  That  the  present  law  regarding  the  full  opening  of  25  feet  in  the  heart  walls  of  traps  be  enforced 
literally. 

22.  That  the  minimum  length  of  seines  be  100  fathoms,  thus  discouraging  their  illegal  operation  in 
streams. 

23.  That  gill  nets  be  operated  at  least  200  yards  apart  instead  of  100  yards  as  at  present. 

24.  That  11  new  vessels  for  fisheries  protective  work  be  built,  at  a  cost  of  $156,000. 

25.  That  the  steamer  Osprey  be  remodeled  at  a  cost  of  $12,000  and  that  the  Albatross  be  converted  to 
burn  fuel  oil  at  a  cost  of  $26,000. 

26.  That  the  pay  of  officers  and  crew  of  the  Bureau's  vessels  in  the  Alaska  service  be  increased  and 
that  subsistence  be  allowed. 

27.  That  the  canning  or  salting  of  salmon  that  have  been  out  of  the  water  not  longer  than  60  hours 
be  permitted,  but  that  no  fish  shall  be  prepared  for  food  purposes  if  unfit,  irrespective  of  the  time  when 
killed. 

28.  That  no  protection  be  afforded  gulls  and  similar  waterfowl  destructive  to  young  fish  and  fish  eggs. 

29.  That  a  bounty  be  placed  upon  wolves. 

30.  That  there  be  enacted  added  legislation  for  the  further  protection  of  fur-bearing  animals. 

3 1 .  That  the  Government  encourage  fox  farming  in  every  possible  way. 

32.  That  the  Executive  order  creating  the  Aleutian  Islands  Reservation  be  adjusted  so  that  full 
authority  with  regard  to  fur -bearing  animals  shall  rest  in  the  Department  of  Commerce. 

33.  That  more  liberal  legislation  be  enacted  in  respect  to  the  natives  of  Alaska. 

34.  That  in  regard  to  the  Pribilof  Islands  there  should  be — 
(a)  New  buildings  for  employees  and  natives. 

(6)  Increased  school  facilities. 

(c)  Absolute  prohibition  of  all  native  beers  and  liquors. 

(d)  Creation  of  occupations  for  natives. 

(e)  Construction  of  roads  on  St.  George  Island  and  the  acquisition  of  a  team  of  mules. 

(/)  Creation  of  offices  of  superintendent  and  assistant  superintendent  for  each  of  the  two  islands. 

(g)  Salary  increases  for  physicians. 

(h)  Appointment  of  a  hospital  steward  for  each  island. 

(i)  Employment  of  a  temporary  dentist  each  season. 


REPORT  OF  ALASKA   INVESTIGATIONS.  155 

(])  Full  pay  to  natives  for  all  work,  they  to  purchase  all  rations  and  supplies  from  Government  stores 
at  cost. 

(k)   Improved  methods  and  facilities  for  discharging  and  landing  cargo  at  the  islands. 
(/)  A  shipment  of  fresh  supplies  at  some  suitable  time  in  the  winter  season. 
35.  That  among  general  needs  of  Alaska  are — 

(a)  Better  charting  and  lighting  of  the  coast. 

(b)  Possible  legislation  to  retain  fishing  interests  in  this  country. 

(c)  Purchase  of  Dutch  Harbor  as  a  base  of  supplies  for  Federal  activity  in  western  Alaska. 

(d)  A  Government  wharf  at  Wrangell. 

(e)  A  Government  radio  station  at  Unga. 

(/)   Introduction  of  reindeer  upon  all  suitable  islands  inhabited  by  natives. 
Respectfully, 

E.  Lester  Jones, 

Deputy  Commissioner  of  Fisheries. 
Hon.  Hugh  M.  Smith, 

Commissioner  of  Fisheries. 

o 


™sk  PROM  WHICH  BORHOWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 


L,D21A-S0m.8,'61 
<Cl795sl0)476B 


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